A/N: Hi again! Back with another chapter!
Just something I'd like to mention - I feel like Peter is a little more confidant in this around Tony than he is in the movies. I feel like it makes since here, though, since he never hero-worshiped the guy. Let me know what you think, though. I'm trying to do the characterizations justice in this new world.
Tony looked around the car at the others in there with him. Pepper was sitting in the passenger seat, her eyes directed out the window. In the back, Rhodey was picking dirt out from underneath his fingernails, and Peter was sleeping, his face pressed against the glass.
What a group they had here.
They'd been on the road for two days now, but they really hadn't gone far. The distance they'd gone might have taken them only a few hours if the world was normal. The problem was that they often had to stop and move things out of the road - like big branches, or other cars that had broken down. Not to mention the occasional walker that would wander in.
Sure enough, Tony spotted another branch lying across the road up ahead, and slowed down to a stop. The other car stopped next to them, and Tony caught Clint's eye through the window before he shut off the engine.
Peter snapped awake in the backseat and rubbed his eyes. "Are we stopping again?" he said drowsily.
Tony opened the door and stepped out. "Yep. There's another tree out there. Now let's get out and push."
They all loaded out of the car and headed towards what blocked the road. It looked like the better half of a pine tree.
Each person found a spot along the tree and, on the count of three, they started pushing it forwards. The branches scraped against the asphalt, and the bark bit into Tony's hands.
When it was finally out of the way, Tony looked up from his sappy hands to see a walker approaching from the side. Natasha was closest to it, but she was distracted and hadn't seen it yet.
"Natasha, watch out!" Tony said. "Behind you!"
In the next moment, an arrow protruded from the walker's eye, and it collapsed onto the road.
Natasha walked up, retrieved his arrow, and rolled the thing out of the way.
"Thanks," Nat said to Clint, handing him back the arrow. He only nodded.
The others were heading back to the cars, but Tony called out, "Hey, Clint. Come here for a second."
They grouped up a little beyond the big branch they'd just moved.
"Are we close?" Tony asked. "I don't have to tell you we're getting a little hungry around here."
They'd run out of food they day they'd struck out on the road, and none of them had had anything to each since. It was wearing them all down, and was especially draining for May, who desperately needed to recoup her losses from being sick.
Clint shrugged. "It's hard to say, honestly. The map we have is pretty useless for us. But I think we have to be close, now."
"Oh, you think so?" Tony replied, rather snappily.
Clint frowned. "Yeah, I do. Don't take your frustration out on me. I can't control this any more than you can."
Tony huffed and crossed his arms. "I just want to get to the next town already."
"Then let's go! We're not gonna get there any sooner by keeping up with this conversation."
"Geez, alright, Legolas," Tony said, turning back towards the cars. "You take point this time."
"Sure," Clint responded, heading for his car.
As Tony walked up, he saw Peter leaning up against the driver's side door. "Can I drive?" he asked Tony excitedly.
Tony shot him an incredulous look. "Have you ever even driven before?"
"Uh…" Peter hesitated. "I have with May in, like, parking lots and stuff? Before all this started."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's not gonna cut it for now, kid." He moved Peter out of the way of the door, and opened it.
"Can you maybe teach me?" Peter asked quickly, his voice hopeful.
Tony turned around and looked at him. Peter was looking up at him with an eager expression.
After a moment, he sighed. "Fine," he said. "If we ever have the time, sure."
Peter's smile was beaming. "Yes!" He ran around to the backseat and jumped in the car.
As Tony got in the car he chuckled to himself, shaking his head. That kid was something else.
He turned the key in the ignition, and they got moving once more.
"So…" Peter said at one point, breaking the silence they'd been in. "What's everyone's favorite food?"
Rhodey groaned. "Don't talk about food right now. I can't take it."
"Sorry," Peter replied, shrugging. "It's kind of on my mind."
"I wonder why," Tony said.
"Okay, then," Peter continued. "Favorite TV show?"
"There's no TV anymore, kid," Tony said, shooting a look back at him.
Peter frowned. "That doesn't mean there wasn't. Or won't ever be again."
"Okay, then," Pepper offered. "My favorite is… I think it'd be the X-Files."
"Ooh," Peter said. "Good choice. I think I'd go with Supernatural. That was a good one. I don't know if it's my favorite, but it's good."
"Really, Peter?" Rhodey said, chuckling. "Doesn't that hit a little close to home, now?"
"Well, I don't think they ever fought walkers," Peter said. "But I guess you're right."
"God, I wish there was something on the radio," Tony grumbled, cutting them off.
Rhodey shot Peter an amused glance. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Pete? Should we… sing?"
"Oh, Jesus."
Peter laughed. "Ha, yes! I think I've got a good one."
"What is it?" Rhodey asked.
Peter leaned over and whispered in his ear.
"Ah… yeah, that is good," Rhodey smiled. "Okay, ready? - one, two, three -
Their voices filled the car: "Rock me mama like a wagon wheel -"
"My ears are bleeding. I swear to god -"
"Rock me mama any way you feel -"
"I will turn this car around!"
"Hey, mama rock me!"
Rhodey and Peter erupted into laughter, and, despite Tony's hunger and his annoyance, he couldn't help but start laughing along.
The next time they stopped, Tony couldn't see why. Clint's car ahead was blocking his view. Was it another tree down? Walkers?
But then he heard it - the grumble of an engine that wasn't theirs.
He rolled down the window and craned his neck out to look. Clint and Natasha had stepped out of the car, their weapons drawn and pointed ahead.
"Stay in the car, Peter," Tony said roughly, and opened the door quick. He heard Pepper and Rhodey do the same beside him.
From his new position he could see them - three guys on motorcycles, their guns out and drawn.
"We're not lookin' for trouble," one of them, a man with a jean jacket and a large beard, was saying.
"Then why are you pointing guns at us?" Natasha asked, her voice cold and dangerous.
"We might ask the same thing of you," the guy in front said. He had a deep, gravelly voice, and dirt streaked across his face.
Tony, Rhodey, and Pepper walked up behind Clint and Natasha, glaring at the bikers.
Tony noticed then that Peter had decided to join them, and he shot the kid a dirty look. "Back to the car," he hissed.
Peter just kept coming, and Tony ground his teeth in frustration.
The biker in front was speaking again. "Why don't we just settle down, then? We put our weapons down, you put down yours. Deal?"
"Deal," Clint growled.
Slowly, each person put down their guns and stowed them away.
"Now," said the guy in front, careful and slow. "We're looking for food. You guys happen to happen to have any luck with that?"
"No," Clint said sharply. "We don't have any."
"Seems to be a common problem. Why don't we work together, then?" It was a reasonable offer, but something in the guy's voice made it seem like this wasn't someone they wanted to be around for long.
"We're good," Tony called out. "Thanks, but no thanks."
The man's eyes narrowed, and he looked between his companions before looking forwards again. "Fine. We'll just let you pass, then. No big deal."
"Right," Tony said, staring down the guy. "No big deal."
"Go on, then," the man said, gesturing to the road ahead. "Ladies first."
Tony glared at him, but it wasn't worth fighting this guy. With luck, they'd never see these people again.
Clint and Natasha slowly got back into their car, and Tony and the others followed suit, their eyes darting back to the bikers every few moments. The cars started again, and they pulled past the motorcycles, Tony sharing one last look with the leader.
When they were finally past, he said scathingly, "What a bunch of assholes."
"They didn't seem very nice," Peter said from the backseat.
Tony snapped his head to look at him. "No, they didn't. Which is why I told you to stay in the car. Why didn't you listen?"
Peter glowered. "I can take care of myself," he said firmly.
"Yeah, okay," Tony replied, turning his gaze back to the road.
Rhodey was looking out the back, watching the bikers disappear as they turned around a bend. "They're gone," he said.
"Good," Tony said. "I hope it stays that way."
It turned out that Clint's earlier intuition was right, because they pulled into the next town only another hour later.
This town was larger than the last, and looked like it had been looted and destroyed. Glass windows were blown in, walls had fallen down, and the street was littered with trash.
They pulled up next to what looked like a convenience store and got out of the cars.
Rhodey opened the trunk and passed out empty bags and weapons. Tony grabbed a crow bar, and he saw Peter grab the screw driver.
Natasha was talking to May, who was going to stay behind in the car while they went inside. She still wasn't strong enough to be counted on to defend herself properly.
Pepper was standing in front of the car, her knife in her hand. Tony walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him.
"You think there's walkers in there?" he asked her.
She nodded. "I just heard something from in there. There's gotta be."
"Well, this looks like our best chance around. We've just got to stick close to each other."
She nodded.
Tony squeezed her shoulder before moving over to where Clint was standing with Peter.
"I just think you should stay out here," Clint was saying. "Keep your aunt safe."
Peter was scowling. "I can take care of myself. I can be useful."
"I'm not saying you can't. I'm just saying someone should stay out here with her."
"Nat," Peter called out. Natasha looked up and over at him. "Tell him I'm good with stuff like this. Or - Tony! You saw me the other day."
"Don't bring me into this," Tony said, hands raised.
Natasha walked up to him and said firmly, "Everyone here knows you can take care of yourself, Peter. But for this one we need you out here, with May. Okay? Now, stop whining."
Peter huffed, and then looked a little ashamed. "Okay," he agreed finally. He walked over to May, and Tony saw her put a hand on his shoulder.
"Alright," Clint said, focusing everyone. "Let's get in there. Looks like walkers for sure, so we'll go in slow, and make sure to keep the exit clear."
"Let's just hope there's something in there," Pepper said. "And that it hasn't been picked clean."
"If it doesn't look worth it, we can turn around," Natasha said. "But I've got a good feeling about this one."
Tony smiled. "Let's go shopping."
The place was lit through the windows by the sunlight, but it was dim and dusty inside.
They crept into the store, their weapons held up in front of them, and their eyes and ears on edge for movement.
Sure enough, Tony heard a familiar moan, and a walker shuffled out of the shadows, its eyes locked on them. It's neck was slashed clean open, like someone had tried to cut it off but hadn't quite succeeded.
And behind him walked five more.
They jumped into action.
Tony strode forwards, his crowbar gripped tightly in his hand. And as soon as he was close enough, he swung. And swung. And swung again.
The heavy metal bar crushed through skull and brain, the dark blood spattering backwards onto him.
The walker fell, and he kept bashing it until he was sure it was dead.
Beside Tony, Natasha was facing off against another walker, and she pushed it off of her before her knife ended up in its ear. Rhodey had a bat in his hands, and was taking care of another. Clint was facing two at once, an arrow in his hand as he stabbed at their eyes. Pepper had her knife in her hand, and was slashing and stabbing as best she could.
Tony saw another one creeping up behind her, and rushed over, his heart pounding in his ears. "Pepper, move!" He slammed the tip of the crow bar into its skull, and it cracked the bone. The walker fell, taking the crow bar with it.
Just in time for another walker to come out from behind a shelf.
Tony wrestled the crow bar out of the last walker's skull, cursing as it wouldn't come free. The new one came closer and closer, and he still couldn't get his weapon free. Finally, as it was within two feet of him, Tony got his crow bar up and out. He was preparing himself to swing when an arrow whizzed past his ear and stuck in the creatures skull.
Breathing heavily, Tony nodded his thanks to Clint, and moved on.
But when he looked around, he saw that there were none left. Just the five of them, panting from exertion and looking around wildly.
"Everybody okay?" Rhodey asked.
"I think we're good," Tony said. "Keep your eyes out for more, but let's check this place out."
"I think I see some cans over there," Pepper said, walking over to the right.
"I'll go with you," Tony said.
"Hold on," Natasha said. She had her knife out in front of her again and stepped forward to a walker who'd just shown themselves. It was over in a moment, and the walker fell to the ground.
"I'll take this side," Clint said. "Nat, you and Rhodey take the center."
Tony caught up with Pepper, who was loading a few cans into her bag. "God, this is good," he said happily, picking up one of the cans. "I never thought I'd be so happy about canned green beans."
Pepper chuckled softly. "Before all this I doubt you'd ever even seen a can of anything."
"Hey!" Tony said indignantly. "If I'd never seen a can, how did I eat in college?"
"Maybe your personal chef?"
He shrugged. "Okay, you've got me there."
Pepper walked further down the aisle. It was mostly picked clean, but there were a few odds and ends. She picked up some kind of stuffed creature and threw it at him.
Tony tried to dodge, but it still bounced off his chest. He smiled as he caught it, and tried to catch Pepper's eye.
His smile fell when he saw her expression, and heard her say suddenly, "Tony, behind you!"
Tony spun, the stuffed animal falling to the floor, his crow bar coming up. Approaching down the aisle were two walkers, their clothing ragged and bloody, their eyes vacant.
When they came close, Tony pushed one away. It stumbled backwards, giving him enough time to slam the other across the face. He kept hitting until it was down, but tripped as he pulled the crowbar out of its head.
He hit the linoleum floor hard, skidding backwards. The next walker tripped over the body of the first and landed on top of him.
With no room to swing, he pushed against the shoulders of the thing, its mouth snapping and gurgling. Tony tried to move, but there wasn't much he could do.
Luckily there was Pepper to the rescue.
Her knife came down hard, blood sprayed, and Tony watched as the creature stilled in his arms. He pushed it off of him in disgust, and scrambled to his hands and knees, breathing hard. "Thanks, honey," he managed.
Pepper offered her hand and pulled him up. "Are you okay?" she asked.
He nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm good. Let's just get this stuff and get out of here."
"I'm with you on that one."
They walked past rotting food and dusty corners and shoved whatever they could into their bags, not worrying about what it was. They could assess how useful it was later.
They ran into Clint in the back of the store.
"You okay, Tony?" Clint asked. "You've got blood all over your face."
Tony brought a hand up and wiped his cheek. Sure enough, his fingers came back red. He hadn't even realized. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. "Just met some more walkers back there."
"I saw a few more, too," Clint said. "This place is crawling with them."
"Yeah, I say we get out of here. We've gotten everything we could from our section." Pepper said.
"Okay. Just give me one more minute. I think I see something good over there," Clint replied.
They watched him walk off into the gloomy shelves in the back, and come back holding something triumphantly in his hand.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
"Maraschino cherries!" Clint said excitedly, showing them the can.
Pepper chuckled at him. "Alright. Good find. Now, let's get out of here."
"Agreed."
They met Rhodey and Natasha at the front of the store. Each of them had items loaded into their own bags, and were looking more cheerful than Tony had seen them recently.
"This was a good spot to check," Natasha said. "People must have been avoiding it because of all the walkers."
"Yeah, only we would be stupid enough to charge this place," Tony said.
They walked towards the door, the sunlight now harsh and bright after the dim dark of the store.
"Do you - what the fuck?" Clint snapped suddenly, moving to grab an arrow from his quiver.
Beside him, Nat whipped her gun from its holster and pointed it ahead of them.
What was going on? Tony couldn't see ahead of him, the sun was too bright.
"Now let's everybody stay calm, okay?" A strange and yet somehow familiar voice said.
Tony blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, and when he saw what was happening, his heart rate doubled. He gripped his crowbar tight, but he didn't have anything long range. He wished he did.
It was those men they had seen earlier on the road.
And two of them had their hands tight on Peter and May, with pistols pointed straight at their temples.
A/N: *Gasp*
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