They were still talking in soft tones when Tony and Pepper returned to the little waiting room. Natasha watched Tony's expression as he entered, knowing full well that it would tell her how the boy had looked, and give her an idea of just how concerned the man was. From the looks of things, it was pretty serious, and she had to fight down the desire to go check on him, herself.
There was time to do it, later, and she wanted to hear what the next step was.
Tony noticed Sirah immediately, of course, as they entered.
"This is the girl Ned mentioned?"
She was young. At least, he assumed that she was.
"Yes," Wong replied. "Peter called Ned, told him to come and watch her and feed her – and said that if anything happened, you were supposed to get her home, or take care of her."
"Get her home?" Tony looked confused – probably wondering how he was supposed to do that when he didn't even know where she was from. "Do-"
"We know where she's from, Tony," Stephen said, smoothly interrupting the beginning of yet another thing for Stark to worry about. "We can figure that out, later. She's in no danger, here."
"You saw Peter?" Fury asked, changing the subject, purposefully, to help Tony focus a little.
The man's eyes were looking a little wild.
"Yes. He didn't wake."
"I told you that he wouldn't," Strange reminded him.
"I know." He looked at Fury. "Have we heard from Steve? Or T'Challa?"
"Both. They're with Thor and some of the others. Thanks to the light, we don't have any wounded – even walking wounded – but there are dead to be taken care of, and Steve's handling that with the military liaisons."
"What are we looking at for numbers?" Tony asked. Yes, they'd won, and it could have been so much worse, but any dead were too many, and he'd seen how furious the fighting had been from the sky. It must have been so much worse to be on the ground experiencing it. "Any idea?"
"Not as many as you might think," Clint replied. "These things were focused on trying to get through the lines. They'd run someone over, and go on to the next, rather than make sure they were dead so they couldn't get up to attack them from behind. The casualties would have been ridiculously high, but the KIA list won't be as bad as it could have been."
Tony nodded, appreciating the way that Barton had put it, and certain that he'd done it on purpose.
"We need to talk to T'Challa about getting Shuri back here," he said. "And I want to see what kind of damage control we're going to need on this light…"
"No damage control," Fury said, even as Natasha moved a little to the side to make a call to Steve, since T'Challa didn't have a communications device to interact with the Avengers. Something that they should probably rectify, she thought, absently, as she listened to Fury and Steve's reply at the same time. "This side of the world was asleep – for the most part – and didn't see what was going on. The other side of the planet were well aware that a big-ass light was bearing down on them and that when it hit, people who were sick or injured were suddenly absolutely fine."
"It healed people on the other side of the planet?" Pepper asked, amazed.
"Preliminary reports are saying that it did. Like our surgeons, here, anyone in the middle of an operation was suddenly upright and fine, and from what we're hearing there are already plenty of happy people trying to figure out what the light was that healed them."
"There's no way to hide where it originated, either" Romanoff said. "Not even Friday could bury this one. There were just too many people who saw it and too many video cameras. It's going to point right back to the compound."
"They don't need to know exactly what it was, though," Tony decided. "We'll spin it however we can to keep Peter and the stones out of the discussion."
"We can try." She shrugged. "You know what the internet is like, Tony. They'll know more than we do – or will make it up as they go along, using what little facts they have."
"We'll deal with it, later," Strange told them all. "I-"
T'Challa and Steve walked in, just then, along with Thor, who was looking huge and imposing, and studying Gamora, immediately. The newcomers all wore serious expressions and Tony had a feeling that they'd stopped to look in on Peter, first. They were brought up to speed on what had happened with a few succinct sentences, but didn't ask for anyone to elaborate, due to the seriousness of Peter's situation. The King of Wakanda was more than willing to allow his sister to come, and he didn't even point out that she had to agree, as well.
Shuri would come, he knew.
"I have dead to take home, as well," he added, somberly, when Stephen offered to make the portal to provide the transport.
"Is there anything we can do?" Tony asked. "They came to help us, after all."
"They came to stop a madman who was threatening the entire planet – Wakanda included," T'Challa corrected. "They fought and died for their country and their people – as they all swore on their honor that they would. Nothing needs done, Tony. Their families will be proud of them, and will honor them in song and story until the end of time."
There was almost a traditional sound to the words and Stark wasn't the only one to think that it almost was certainly not the first time such words had been spoken.
"Let me know, though, if there is…" Tony said, wanting the young ruler to understand how much he appreciated the assist. The addition of the Wakandans – and Shuri's help with the shield – had absolutely made the difference. "We'll do whatever you need."
"I will let you know," T'Challa assured him, as if he understood – and he probably did. "I will come back when Shuri comes, if you do not mind? There are still many questions I would like answered, when the time is more appropriate."
"Of course."
T'Challa looked at Strange, who nodded, and looked at Tony.
"We're going to turn the operating room into Peter's recovery room, unless it doesn't work for Shuri and her equipment. While I'm gone, I'll have Doctor Adams set everything up."
"Need me?" Wong asked.
"No. Check with the others, make sure they're alright. See if they need anything."
"Do I tell them about the infinity stones?"
"No. Peter isn't a threat to the world – and never was – but the last thing we want is for anyone to get any ideas and maybe make a play for the stones while he's incapacitated."
"Where are they?" Natasha asked, curiously.
The sorcerer reached his perfectly healed hand into his pocket, and pulled out a sphere, roughly the size of a softball. It was black, and obviously made of Vibranium since it was the same color as the suit that Peter wore – and that T'Challa was still wearing. He handed it to Tony.
"Put that someplace safe," he suggested.
"You don't think that you should hold onto it?"
"I think it's best in the hands of someone who isn't tempted by the power they contain. Even myself. Put it in a safe, somewhere, until we can get Peter to open it. I do want my stone back."
"And we need the mind stone to get Vision back on his feet, too," Pepper added.
Strange reached into the same pocket and pulled out the housing for Peter's suit, as well. Tony took it from him without a word, but then the doctor looked at Pepper as his other hand reached into the other pocket. This time he pulled out the stuffed Ironman doll that the toddler was so find of.
"This was in his pocket," he said, handing it to Pepper, who took it with a soft, strangled noise as she tried to force down a sudden sob. "You should probably hold onto that for him. Until he's ready to take it back and hide it under his pillow so no one knows he has it."
Tony handed the polymorph sphere and the nanite housing to Fury, who was already juggling Nutmeg, and took Pepper into his arms, holding her tightly.
"I'm going to go take care of things," Steve said, softly, looking at Tony and Pepper, but addressing Nick. "I'll be around, if you need me."
"I'll come help," Clint told him.
"I have dead to take home, as well," Thor said.
Not very many, though, luckily. The Asgardians were incredibly durable.
"I'll make you a portal when you're ready," Wong said.
"I'm going to check on Quill," Gamora said, deciding that she didn't need to be present at what was obviously a very private moment for Pepper and Tony. "He hasn't been heard from, and that usually means he's causing trouble." She looked at Sirah. "Come with me, child," she said. "I'll introduce you to Star Lord."
The alien nodded, still looking confused, but also looking interested., and the others all left the room, except Fury and Natasha, who stood silent vigilance over Tony and Pepper, keeping anyone else out of the room unless they absolutely had reason to be there – which no one really did, just then.
Stark guided Pepper over to the sofa and pulled her down with him, to make sure she was more comfortable, and then tucked her head on his shoulder, and his chin on her head while he held her.
"Don't worry, honey," he murmured. "We'll get him through this. Shuri almost certainly has one more trick up her sleeve."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then I'll make one." He kissed her temple, lovingly, and then crooned reassurances to her, lost in the little bubble that only contained the two of them, just then.
Time enough to worry about everything else once Peter was on his feet and back with them.