A/N: Because that just couldn't be the end
Tony Stark liked puzzles. He liked figuring out how things worked. When he was younger he would often be so curious that he would break small appliances apart, study their insides before attempting to rebuild them. It was the challenge the puzzle created...the chance for him to prove how intellectually superior he truly was. They actually thrilled him.
At the moment, Tony was faced with a puzzle that didn't thrill him. It actually infuriated him. His finger swiped the holographic computer, going through file after file and coming up with the same answer he'd gotten days ago. It was late, Morgan asleep and Pepper...well Pepper wasn't sleeping much with this new obsession of Tony's. She tried to talk to him, tried to suggest that maybe all of this was PTSD from the fight with Thanos, but Tony refused to believe anything that wasn't what he knew deep down in his soul. The woman had just taken a shower and as she walked into their bedroom, she sighed seeing that Tony wasn't there. She stepped out the back backdoor, seeing the light coming from the garage. As she neared, she heard his faint muttering. When she pushed open the door to the garage, she spotted him in the spot he'd been for hours, still swiping away on that computer for something he hadn't accepted just wasn't there. She hesitated confronting him again. Afraid of another fight, but she saw his disheveled appearance. The circles under his eyes from not sleeping. He couldn't keep going like this.
"Tony-" she moved in closer to him. He glanced over to her for a second before turning back to the screen. "I think it's time for this to end."
"I can't do that. She's gone, like—" Tony shook his head. "FRIDAY, expand the search parameters."
"Sir, I've exhausted all search engines from every federal agency we have access to. There is no record of a Katherine Chambers, Katherine Banks, or Katherine Barton." Tony growled under his breath before turning and sliding a hand across his face trying to think of what he should do next. He couldn't...wouldn't let this puzzle beat him.
"Tony, why is it so impossible for you to accept that maybe this woman just doesn't exist?" Pepper asked, and Tony lifted his head and turned to her with a look she could only describe as betrayal.
"Because I know she exists Pep. She's my best friend, and she-" he turned back to the holo screen watching the search run again. "She's saved my life-" he turned to his wife. "She's saved your life." he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "She did something-"
"Did what?"
"She made us forget her." Tony opened his eyes and turned back to Pepper. "She stopped Thanos-"
"No, you and the team stopped Thanos. You were able to create the machine to send you all back in time to collect the stones to create your own glove." Pepper says hoping that if he hears the truth it will reach something inside of him. "You used it to defeat Thanos. You saved the world again." Tony closed his eyes, seeing the memories of Pepper's words and yet they conflicted with other memories. Memories of his friend, her skin purple, her eyes glowing yellow and with a snap of her finger, Thanos and his alien buddies were just turned to dust. "Tony, there was no woman-"
"Katie-" Tony said turning back to his wife and just shrugged. "I don't know what she did, or why this is happening, but I know she's real. I know she existed."
"And why do you remember her and I don't?" Pepper asked. "Why does the world not know who she is, but you do?" Tony couldn't answer that question, not yet. He turned back to the holographic screen, once again thinking of what to do next. "Tony-"
"I have to figure this out Pepper." Tony finally said turning back to the woman. "She was my friend, and I don't have the luxury of losing those, especially not her."
"Ok, Tony, say you're right. Say this woman stopped Thanos, and then somehow made the world think she never existed. How can you fix that? That seems so beyond the scope of-"Pepper shook her head. "Everything."
"I don't know!" he snapped angrily and Pepper jumped at his tone. The man let out a sigh before turning to the woman. "I'm sorry, I didn't-" he walked over to his wife and took her head. "What I know is that if this was me, she wouldn't give up." Pepper saw the certainty in his eyes, and she couldn't deny that he truly believed all of this. She knew he wouldn't just get past this. He needed to see it through to the end.
"Ok," she placed a hand to his cheek, and moved in closer to him. "Find her." he looked at the woman for a moment, before pulling her into a tight hug. Pepper's tightened her grasp around her husband, hiding the hesitance and fear on her face at whatever this could lead to if he doesn't find the answers he's looking for.
Early the next morning, Morgan Stark sat on the porch steps watching as her father placed a suit case in the trunk. At breakfast he said he would be going away for a couple of days, and when she asked if she and mommy would be going with him, he said that it would be a boring trip and that he wouldn't dare inflict such hardship on his little spawn. Tony closed the trunk and turned, seeing his daughter, and that disappointed look on her face that would always wound him. He walked over and sat on the porch beside her, bringing his arm around her.
"What's with the look, light of my life?" he asked, and the little girl didn't says anything. Oh, the silent treatment, she really was upset with him. "You're not talking to me, now?" she turned her eyes away, and Tony let out an exaggerated sigh. "How will I go on with life without hearing the beautiful sound of the wonderful, ridiculously smart, stinky feet-"
"Hey, my feet aren't stinky!" Morgan says, turning to her father who looks down to her with a smile, before plucking her from her seat and planting her in his lap. "Why can't I go with you?"
"I told you, it's a boring trip. Your brain would ooze with how boring it's going to be." he placed a kiss to her cheek. "I just have to find a friend of mines."
"Is your friend lost?" Morgan asked, and Tony sighed.
"Yeah, she is."
"Then you're going to find her. You're good at finding lost things. Like when you found Mr. Jar Jar." Tony chuckled at the girl before bringing his daughter into a tight hug.
"I hope so, sweetie."
"Morgan, time to get washed up for lunch." Pepper said as she walked out onto the porch, smiling at the pair.
"You heard the lady of the house." Tony says placing another kiss to Morgan's cheek, before whispering in her ear. "I'll see you when I get back, ok?" the girl gave him a nod before jumping up and rushing into the house to wash her hands for lunch. Tony stood to his feet and turned to his wife who walked down the steps to stand in front of him. "Are you here to tell me to stay?" she brought her arms around him and he did the same.
"No, I've seen that look in your eyes many times Tony. You're not going to rest until you see this to the end."
"You still don't believe me though, do you? Do you think I've imagined her." Pepper sighed before bringing her lips to his.
"Tony, I saw the sky crack open, and beings from a different planet invade earth. I'm at the point in my life where I believe anything is possible. Including a woman who was your friend, who meant a lot to you, somehow disappearing from the world. I just want you to promise me something."
"Anything." Tony replies honestly. He'd give this woman anything and everything she wanted if he could.
"The moment you get to the end of the road, come back to us." Pepper says and Tony frowned a bit unsure why she thinks he wouldn't. "Tony, I know you, you'd get to the end of that road, and find a plane to fly to keep going. I just want you to promise me that you will just see this to the end no matter what that end is. Don't risk your life...our lives trying to do the impossible." Tony gave a nod before pulling her lips to his once more.
It was a long, and tiring drive, but Tony's mind was completely occupied. He was still working out this puzzle. Going back to that moment in Wakanda, looking at her face and then the memories scramble and shift to a world that doesn't include her. Soon he pulls to a stop before stepping out of the car, his eyes looking up to the Avengers facility and letting out a sigh. After the whole Thanos fight, he promised himself that he was finished. He married Pepper, had a beautiful daughter and that was supposed to be his life. Five years had passed, and he was content. He was happy, until he stepped out that door and saw that small kitten, and somehow, someway whatever lock that kept his memories of her away, just broke and they all came flooding back.
"So is blackmail how you recruit all of your employees Mr. Stark?" Katie asked folding her arms over her chest.
"Call me Tony and no, this—" Tony said gesturing a hand toward her. "Is a first, I mean we literally turn down thousands of people and here you are being handed a golden ticket and you can honestly say you don't want it?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying Mr. Stark." she replied saying his name with obvious distrust. "I don't want a golden ticket, I don't need a golden ticket, I want a quiet life and working for Iron Man does not give me that."
Tony let out another heavy sigh, before venturing inside. He walked inside, giving a nod to the people who passed him. They all seemed a bit surprised to see him, and given how long since he was last here, he couldn't blame them.
Tony headed to his lab first. He stood on the elevator, his eyes closed even in this moment trying to piece together a plan. When the doors opened, so did Tony's eyes and when he stepped off, he found that his lab wasn't empty.
"Hey Nat," the man greeted, looking over the woman whose hair was longer since he last saw her. She stood across from him, arms folder studying him as if to detect something he wasn't saying. "Is there a reason you're in my lab?"
"Your lab?" she asked before walking over to him. "You know given you've been gone for six years, I wouldn't think you'd call any of this yours." she continued to watch him. "How is Pepper? Morgan?"
"Both ridiculously perfect. It should be a crime how perfect they are." Tony say walking around the woman as he pulled of his jacket.
"So what in the world could pull you away from your perfect family?" she asked and Tony stopped and turned back to the woman. He hesitated for a moment before throwing caution to the wind.
"Do you know someone named, Katherine Banks?" Tony asked and Natasha frowned for a moment, before shaking her head.
"No, why?" she asked and Tony huffed before turning to the computer in front of him and typing away. "Is she the reason you're here."
"She is." Tony said, not even turning to the woman. "Katherine Banks, also called Katherine Chambers, until she was married, to which she became Katherine Barton." The confusion etched into Natasha's face as she walked over to the man and waited for him to explain.
"Tony, what the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about a woman who was intertwined in all of our lives has now been completely erased." he stopped and turned to the woman. "And I have no idea how or why." the woman looked at him for a moment as if trying to determine if he were being serious, but there was no sign that he wasn't. "We need to assemble the team." Tony turned back to the computer and continued typing.
"And why is that?" Natasha asked. "Because some woman has disappeared?"
"Not just some woman." Tony says looking over to her. "She was important. To all of us. And now she's gone. Look I can't explain it more than that. Once everyone is here, maybe something will just click, but until then, I've already called everyone with an SOS, so hopefully they'll be here soon." Tony turned back to his computer and Natasha stared at the man suddenly wondering if his time away has made him go crazy. She shook her head before turning and walking back toward the elevator. "Sparrow!" she stopped and glanced back to the man. "She worked for SHIELD, and when she was in the field her code name name was Sparrow. Ringing any bells?" Natasha did have the faint sense of something familiar in the name, but nothing actually clicked. She turned away for a moment before turning back to the man.
"No, it doesn't. Tony are you alright, because you seem-"
"If you say crazy, then-"
"Well sorry because you're seeming certifiable right now." Natasha said and the man just huffed before looking back tot he computer in front of him. "You called her Katherine Barton-"
"Yeah, I did." he didn't turn her.
"So who was she supposed to be to him."
"Wife." Tony replies stopping his fingers. "Mother of his daughter. Natalia-" he looked over to the woman. "Natalia Antoinette Barton. You and I are her god parents." Natasha wasn't sure what to say to that.
"And Laura-" Tony shook his head, turning away from the woman. "Tony, Clint's wife's name is Laura Barton. His and Laura's daughters are Lila and Natalia. He has a son, Cooper. There is no Katherine."
"But there is." Tony said letting a huff, turning his back to the woman, and closing his eyes. The memories of meeting Clint's family, of seeing the faces of his children, conflicted with memories of his Kitten, and his little Iron baby. "Something happened." he turned back to the woman. "Something that made everyone forget who she was."
"Everyone but you?"
"No, I didn't remember at first. For the last six years, I had no idea-" Tony shook his head. "And then something happened. Something clicked, and now I remember her, I can see her face so clear in my head right now, and I have to believe that means something."
"And what does it mean to you?"
"That maybe I can bring her back?" Tony said feeling those words were true. He remembered. Maybe she knew if anyone would be able to bring her back, it would be him. Natasha watched as the man turned and lost himself in whatever he was doing on the computer. She frowned a bit before turning and stepping onto the elevator.
The team had all gone their separate ways after the war with Thanos. Tony was one of the first to announce that he was taking a step back. So a SOS from the man, asking them to return to the facility made them nervous about whatever was going to happen next.
Not surprising, it was Bruce who arrived first. The man and his beast were still merged and playing nice. Natasha had seen him in papers. They were calling him professor Hulk now, and he didn't seem to hate it. Natasha caught a glimpse of him as he walked through the gates, a backpack hung over his shoulder. She walked out to meet him, a smile coming to her face as he neared.
"Hey Nat," he greeted, as he walked over to stand in front of her. "It's been a long time."
"It has, big guy." she replied. "I see you're still green."
"Yeah, me and the other guy are still going strong." Bruce looked down to her for a moment, the air between them still a bit awkward. He shook his head before looking to the doors behind her. "So Tony is back?"
"He is, and I think he's lost his mind." the woman said and Bruce looked down to her. "Well more than usual." she nudged her head toward the door. "I should probably give you the cliff notes before you head down to the lab." Bruce sighed as he followed behind the woman.
Tony lifted his eyes toward the elevator when it opened, smiling at the sight of his large green friend.
"I can't even imagine how hard it is for you to find clothes now." Tony says walking over to the man. "Is there like a bigger and taller section you have to go to or-"
"I can't believe you called an emergency team meeting to make fun of me Tony." Bruce said looking down to the man. "I mean, it's been six years."
"I know." Tony said giving the man a pat on the shoulder. "I meant to keep in touch, but-"
"You got married, and had a baby." Tony sighed, as he turned and swipe up a picture of Pepper and Morgan.
"Well that baby is now six going on twenty six." Tony smiled up to the picture. "I still can't figure out how that perfect little thing came from me." he shook his head before turning back to Bruce.
"Well you're one lucky bastard," Bruce laughed, and Tony couldn't help but laugh too.
"That I am." soon the laughter died down, and Bruce knew he'd have to ask the question he'd been waiting to ask. "So how much has Nat told you?" Tony turned and headed back to his computer, his eyes looking up to the search that was still running.
"She says you called us here to find a woman who doesn't exist." Bruce said watching the man, waiting for a reaction. "Which is odd seeing as I thought team meetings were only called when aliens were invading the earth."
"Well this is kind of worse." Tony says turning to his friend. "I didn't call you here just to search for some woman. She was my friend...our friend. Each and everyone of us knew her, we loved her. She was the pain in the ass we cared about and now she's not here." This time it was Tony's turn to watch his large green friend and wait for some sort of reaction. He could tell Bruce was thinking about how to respond. "And I know how this sounds-"
"Tony,-"
"No, you're going to tell me that this doesn't make sense, or that maybe I'm making this up, but Bruce, I'm not. I'm really not. I just need someone to believe me."
"Tony-" Bruce took a step forward. "Let's just start from the beginning. What's her name?"
"Her name is Katherine." Tony says closing his eyes, still able to picture her face. "Katherine Barton-" he turned back to Bruce whose brow furrowed in confusion. "She was Clint's wife." Bruce didn't say anything right away, instead decided to ask more questions.
"Tell me about her."
Tony sighed and turned away with a smile. "I met her after she hacked me." he turned back to Bruce. "We'd just rolled out our new and improved Stark Firewall. It was impenetrable, or at least that's what I thought."
"Tony, I've seen the code for that program, it's-" Bruce shook his head. "Hacking that would be-"
"Impossible right? But she did it, and I think the moment she did, I just needed to know everything about her."
"So she breaks into your company and you fall in love."
"Well yes and no. I was intrigued more than anything. She broke into the Stark Industries mainframe, had access to information that would make her ridiculously rich, but that wasn't her motivation." Tony chuckled as he shook his head before turning back to Bruce. "She said I should've never called it impenetrable. She said I created a challenge that she couldn't turn down." Bruce saw the look in Tony's eyes as he spoke. There was no doubt, or inclination that this was a story he was just making up. Tony's words were honest, as if it were completely true. The look in Tony's eyes was enough for Bruce to actually believe that something more was happening. "Look once Barton, Thor and Cap get here-"
"Tony-" Bruce said, and Tony turned to the man in confusion. "Steve isn't coming."
"What are you talking about?"
"Steve had to return the infinity stones back to their timelines, remember?"Bruce asked and Tony turned away, closing his eyes as the memory of Steve volunteering to return the stones, but then never coming back. It was then that an old gray haired Steve Rogers appeared, revealing that his younger counterpart wouldn't be returning. Tony opened his eyes and sighed.
"Yeah, he went back, probably ran into Peggy." Tony said remembering his conversation with old man Rogers. "He decided to finally do something for himself." Tony turned back to Bruce, his large green friend watching his closely. "Well I have a number for the old man, maybe he can-"
"Tony-"
Suddenly there are sparks on the other side of the lab, and both men turned as the sparks create a circle that expands large enough for them to see Stephen Strange from the other side. Strange steps through in to the lab, an annoyed look on his face as he looks over to Tony.
"Please tell me your vague message about the possible end of the world was an over-exaggeration." Stephen said before glancing over to Bruce. "Doctor Banner,"
"Dr. Strange." Bruce sighed before turning to Tony.
"Do you know someone named Katherine Barton?" Tony asked as he watched Stephen's face and the confusion that laced into his features. For some reason Tony thought Stephen and his magical abilities would've made him immune to whatever was happening, but the look on Stephen's face proved him wrong. "And of course you don't." Tony sighed, turning and dropping into the chair beside him. Stephen glanced over to Bruce who just shrugged.
"And who is Katherine Barton?" Stephen asked turning back to Tony. Tony was tired of answering that question, because he felt every time he did, everyone just looked at him as if he were insane. The man didn't say anything and so the magician turned to the hulk.
"Apparently she's a woman who we all once knew, but now she doesn't seem to exist and none of us remember her, except for Tony." Bruce said and Stephen quirked a brow before turning back to Tony. "Have you ever heard of anything like that?"
"Tony, why exactly am I here?" Stephen asked, and Tony brought his hand to his chin in thought. Finally something came to him and he jumped to his feet.
"Wait,-" Tony turned to Stephen. "Something happened. She was talking to Thanos about the stones, and then you got weird and said we had to get her out of there. It's like you knew something was going to happen." Stephen continued to look at the man in confusion. Tony turned away trying to remember that moment and everything that was said. "What did she say..." it hit him and he turned back to the man. "Seventh stone."
"But there's only six infinity stones." Bruce said, hoping to reign in his friends delusions. Tony just waved him off as he continued to look at Stephen who turned away.
"He called her Nemesis." Tony continued and Stephen turned back to the man with a frown. "Something happened to my kitten, her skin was purple and her eyes were glowing...it wasn't her. Something had taken over her body. It has something to do with this seventh stone right?" Stephen remained silent, his mind suddenly racing with thoughts he told himself to ignore. "C'mon, you know her. She crashed with you for months, you were friends, not best friends because I was her best friend, but you looked out for her when she needed someone." Tony shook his head hoping something was getting through to the man. "You were her..."
"Compass." Stephen suddenly said still confused, still unsure why there was a familiarity in the words. He turned away, now remembering the words of the Ancient One, and how they never really made any sense. Stephen turned back to Tony, and noticed how both he and Bruce were watching him. "I should go-"
"Go, wait, you remember something don't you?" Tony took a step toward the man. "Do you remember her?"
"I don't remember anyone Tony." Stephen replied turning away slightly. "But that doesn't mean you're wrong." he looked back to Tony who now seemed a bit more hopeful.
"What are you saying?" Bruce asked. "Do you believe Tony is right? That there's some woman none of us can remember?"
"I don't know. But what I do know is that I was once told that I would be the compass to someone who desperately needed a guide." Stephen turned to Tony. "You said she was called Nemesis?" Tony nodded.
"Yeah, purple skin, yellow eyes...ring any bells?"
"Well if you're describing who I think you're describing, then I may be more inclined to believe you." Stephen turned, lifting his hands, and moving them in a rapid motion making a doorway to the Sanctum appear. "But I need to do a bit of research first." he was about to step through but Tony stopped him.
"Hey, wait-" Stephen turned to Tony. "So it's possible right?"
"If this is Nemesis, then yes this is definitely possible. But there's so many outlying questions we would need to take into consideration." Stephen shook his head. "Why make us forget this woman or-" he turned back to the billionaire. "Why do you remember?"
"And that's what you're going to do? Get answers to these questions?" Tony asked and the magician gave a nod. "Well then go, research your ass off, and the moment you find something, get back here." Stephen rolled his eyes before turning and stepping into the Sanctum, the doorway closing behind him. Tony turned back to Bruce with a smile.
"Did you hear that! I'm right!"
"That's not what he said, Tony." Bruce said walking over to the man. "He says there's a possibility something is going on, but he needs to look into it more. There's also still a chance that maybe you need to rest and step away-"
"Bruce, buddy, I love you, but don't talk to me like I'm crazy, because I'm not. I believe with my whole heart that she is real, and for some reason we just can't remember her."
"Ok Tony, tell me more about her then. What happened the last time you saw her?" Bruce asked and Tony turned away, before taking a seat.
"It was Wakanda. I'd somehow appeared from Titan to Wakanda in a blink of an eye to see her standing toe to toe with Thanos." Tony turned back to Bruce and shook his head. "But it wasn't her. It was this Nemesis thing. He had the glove with most of the stones which one would assume made him the most powerful being there."
"But he wasn't?" Bruce asked and Tony shook his head.
"He thought he was. Hell we all thought he was, but then she took them." Tony turned back to Bruce, the memory so vivid right now, still colliding with memories that never was. "They somehow implanted themselves in her arm."
"Tony, are you hearing your self right now. The infinity stones implanting themselves in her arm. We built our own glove for those stones and just using them could nearly kill a person. You're saying they were in her skin and-"
"Yes I am, and the moment she did it, she called that bastard boring before snapping her fingers and turning Thanos and his army of assholes into dust." Tony turned away as he remembered what happened after. "Then she-"
"She what?"
"This thing, this Nemesis, was still there and my Kitten wasn't, so I asked nicely, or not so nicely for her to bring me back my friend."
"What did she say?"
"That it wasn't possible, that Katie couldn't return to a body that held that thing."
"So you're saying even if we did remember her, it would be impossible for her to return?" Bruce asked and Tony turned to the man, but didn't say anything. "With that logic Tony, what are you really trying to accomplish by getting us all here." Tony stood to his feet and stalked away, not wanting to hear anymore. "If she's gone and she doesn't want us to remember, then maybe we should just leave well enough alone." Tony stopped and turned back to the man. "Tony—"
"I would be more inclined to believe that if I didn't have years of memories of this woman playing on repeat in my head right now. I know what she said, that my Kitten couldn't come back, but I have to believe that if I remember her, then maybe she was wrong."
"And why do you think that?"
"Because Bruce, I'm the one person she knows who'd cross hell and high water just to bring her back. I just have to figure out how." The doors to the lab opened, and Tony stood to his feet to see Natasha standing beside Clint who met his eyes in confusion.
"Just so you know Stark, I'm going to get a lot of grief for this trip from my wife when I get back home." Clint says walking over to the man. Clint expected a Tony Stark annoying comeback, some sort of joke about him being whipped or not wearing the pants in his family. He didn't expect the seriousness in Tony's expression and that only worried him. "Please don't tell me there's more aliens headed to Earth, because I thought I made it pretty clear that I was out." Clint glanced over to the giant green Bruce Banner with a nod. "Doc."
"Good to see you, Clint." Bruce said before turning to Tony who hasn't said a word. "Tony?" Tony took a few steps toward Clint who was still completely confused.
"What the hell is going on here, Stark? Why are we here?"
"Tell me Clint, have any weird dreams about a woman you've never seen before?" Tony asked and Clint's brow furrowed in confusion. "Dark hair, medium height, and a smile that just brightens up a room. And even though you've never seen her, she seems familiar for some reason." Clint didn't say anything as he glanced over to Natasha who was watching him as well, clearly interested in how he would answer the question.
"Are you serious?" Clint asking turning back to Tony. "Is that why I'm here? You've gone insane, and thought you'd call the old gang back together to ask ridiculous questions." Clint shook his head before turning and heading back to the door. "I'm going home."
"She called you Bart, and you called her Kat." Tony said and Clint stopped walking, and Tony felt a twinge of hope that something was clicking inside of the man.
"Barton?" it was Bruce who spoke after a few moments of silence, and the man standing in front of them hadn't turned to face them. "Are you-" Clint didn't say anything before he simply walked out of the lab. Tony growled in anger before stalking forward about to go after him, but Natasha moved to block him.
"That's not a good idea, Tony." she said and Tony huffed turning away from the woman and stalking back to his computers. "Tony, is there a sliver of a possibility that this woman just doesn't-"
"Exist?!" Tony snapped turning back to the woman. "Well yeah, Nat, right now she doesn't exist, but she did."
"Ok, fine, she did, why doesn't she exist right now?" Natasha asked walking over to the man.
"Because she-" Tony turned away, clenching his eyes closed still trying to remember that moment, that last moment his eyes saw her. "She sacrificed herself." Tony opened his eyes and turned back to Bruce and Natasha. "She sacrificed herself to save us, to save the world, to protect the stones." Tony turned away. "She was granted a gift."
"What kind of gift?" Bruce asked and Tony turned to him.
"Nemesis, um, she said for Katie's sacrifice, she was granted a wish of anything she wanted." Tony frowned a bit, once again turning away as the pieces began to fall into place.
"She wished for a world she didn't exist." Natasha said and Tony turned dark eyes to her. "Tony if this woman was real, and for her to save the world she had to leave. She didn't want us to remember her, she didn't want you to remember her. She didn't want you here, driving your self crazy trying to do the impossible." Tony didn't want to hear the words, even though some truth tugs at him. He turned around, dropping into his seat and closing his eyes.
Suddenly all the computers in the lab powered off, and everyone lifted their eyes as the lights flickered around them. Tony stood to his feet, backing up to stand near Bruce and Natasha.
"FRIDAY, what's happening?" Tony asked, but there was no response. "FRIDAY?" the computer system didn't respond, but there was a sudden flash of light that caused them all to lift their arms to shield their eyes. With the light was a sudden gust of wind, that was bitterly cold. The moment the wind stopped, Tony, Bruce and Natasha, dropped their arms, quite surprised to see someone new in the room, that none of them expected.
"Loki?" Bruce said as they all continued to stare at the raven haired god, his horned crown affixed on his head. "How—you're dead. Thanos killed you." Loki turned to the giant green beast, taking a slight step back, always nervous about being in his presence.
"Well sorry to disappoint, but I'm alive and quite frankly annoyed." Loki replies his eyes turning to Tony. "Man of Iron, you are to come with me." Tony looked at the man with wide eyes,
"Yeah, I'm good here. I mean the last time I saw you, you let aliens loose on my planet before we beat you and your brother dragged you back to your own planet in cuffs."
"Well a lot has transpired since then." Loki said with a shrug. "Why not let bygones, be bygones and come with me." Tony didn't say anything and Loki sighed. "You are in search of the mad woman, the one whose here and yet isn't. Well I'm here to take you to her."
"You know where Katie is?" Tony asked and Loki gave a nod.
"Well no, since she's not really in the land of existence right now, but I know how we can find her." Loki said, and against all logic, Tony took a step forward, but both Bruce and Natasha reached forward, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back.
"Tony, you can't possibly be falling for this?" Bruce asked.
"Why would you do this?" Natasha asked, still warily watching the god, while her hand hovered behind her above the gun tucked into her waist band. "Why would you help us?"
"Well I wouldn't." Loki said with a shake of his head. "This really isn't even about you" Loki turned back to Tony meeting the man's eyes. "Katherine Barton-" Tony's eyes widen, not expecting the sudden twinge in his stomach at hearing the name spoken out loud by someone else. "I'm here because of her, unfortunately. I owe her a debt, and part of the payment happens here. She gave me time, a place, with specific instructions to retrieve the man of iron here and take him to the beginning.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bruce asked, "How do you even know she exists when none of us do?" Loki turned to the green beast with a roll of his eyes.
"You're asking questions that I have not the answers." Loki says. "What you saw...Thanos holding me at my neck, snapping it and killing me. It was all an illusion." the God of Mischief smiled. "I think I may have rubbed off on her more than I thought." he turned back to Tony as a portal slowly began growing behind him. "If you wish to get the answers you seek, then you will follow me." and with that Loki turned, stepping through the glowing portal. Tony stood there actually unsure of what the do. Seeing Loki only brought him back to that moment where he's flying into a portal in the sky before just falling. He suddenly pictured his kitten waiting on the other side and soon the choice was clear.
"What the hell?" it was Clint who came back to the lab not really expecting to see the portal. He walked over to stand beside Natasha who was still staring at Tony. "What's going on?"
"Well in the minutes since you were last here, Loki showed up, told Tony he could bring him to this apparent Katherine Barton." Natasha said, and Clint's eyes went wide as he looked back over to the portal. "Tony just has to step into that thing. And now I'm attempting to try to knock him out before he does something stupid." The woman began inching toward Tony who she could see stepping closer to the portal. When she was close enough, she quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him back.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?!" Tony snapped struggling to pull himself free from the oddly strong woman.
"I'm sorry Tony, but right now I'm saving you from your own stupidity." Natasha continued to pull him back. "You just-"
"Clint, no, wait!" Bruce called and they all stopped and looked over to see Clint standing in front of the portal. He glanced over to Natasha who he could see was confused by the move. The man simply shrugged before throwing caution to the wind and stepping through. Tony felt Natasha's grasp loosen and used the moment to pull free and run inside the portal as well, and the moment he did, it simply closed as if it were never there. Bruce and Natasha both stared into the spot, neither quite believing what just happened. They didn't turn at the sound of the lab door open, or even the sound of footsteps.
"Guys?" Bruce was the one break out of his shock and turned to the familiar voice of Sam Wilson who was standing beside Bucky.
"From the looks on your faces, I'd say we just missed something." Bucky says looking from Bruce to Natasha. He glanced back to Sam who just shrugged his shoulders.
A/N: There will be more.