Steve had been right in thinking they would separate him from Tony, because when the rescue finally came he had been kept away from the injured man. Not even pointing out there were two shields in the bunker had helped prove his case originally. They had been convinced that he was trying to tell a poorly constructed lie both to evade punishment and to be near his victim, and he couldn't fault them for that. If he hadn't experienced it himself, he wouldn't have believed what had happened either. Most of his questioning had been during the early hours of the time that Tony on the operating table, and he had made sure Pepper, who had been with the rescue party, had Friday send the reactor to their destination just as he had promised the still unconscious genius. She had done it begrudgingly- not wanting to believe that it would be needed though. Her conviction that the other man wasn't as injured as Steve had said was strong, and he had almost thought she would dismiss his request. She had also had something else shipped, but no one would inform Steve of what it had been when he had asked- and he had asked because her reaction had inspired a sliver of distrust.
He only knew, from eavesdropped conversations Pepper had with someone that it had been sent in case things went south and measures had to be taken to keep the injured man alive. The genius had been dangerously close to dying by the time help had arrived so he had no doubt that the measure had to be used. Tony's breath had been taking longer and longer to be drawn in and face had been so pale that Steve didn't know why she hadn't wanted to believe how much he was suffering. Steve wanted some time alone with his double, so he could dish out some justice for Tony's struggle, nothing the other man could ever say would excuse what he had done. And even if the world decided to forgive the other man Steve never would.
In the end Steve had been confirmed to not be of this reality by Dr. Strange, nothing he said had even tempted the people questioning him to believe his 'crazy' story. And they had been preparing to take him to prison, where he would have been charged with almost killing Tony and everything his double had done while on the run. For a moment he thought that Rogers had gotten the perfect patsy with his arrival, instead of Tony getting a champion. And that would have fit this twisted world just fine, since it would have cleared the way for the Rogers to come out of his mistakes without taking any blame for what he had done in the end because the 'real bad guy' had been caught after all.
The odd magic user had stepped in when he had seen Steve though, and after taking a piercing look at him when he arrived to join in the efforts to save the genius he had asked agents questioning him how someone had jumped realities, and if that was what he was being held for it. Steve had almost smirked at their shocked looks, relief settling into his chest, but he was more interested in getting to Tony so he could know how the genius was fairing during surgery. There were a couple strained apologies tossed in his direction about the whole affair before he was let go- free to join whoever was waiting to hear how Tony was doing. When he joined Pepper and Rhodes in waiting he was treated to suspicious stares from the duo for a moment. He cursed his double again for everything he had done in this world and to Tony, before smiling politely, knowing he needed to ease their minds if they were anything like the people he knew or they would have him thrown out.
"I'm not from this reality, and my story has been confirmed by a magic user. I got here in time to stop my counterpart's attack and to get Tony help." He said pointedly, trying not to stare at the wheelchair Tony's best friend was in as he spoke. This reality was really a special kind of hell, even Rhodes wasn't untouched by it's twisted effects. Rhodes' stare softened first, Pepper's still held blame and since it was a man wearing his face that had done this to Tony he couldn't blame her.
"Thank you for saving him. We had no idea where he was and his suit was disabled, he wouldn't have been able to hit that panic button on his own, and this could have gone a lot different without you there to help him." The other man murmured hoarsely- he had been crying obviously. Pepper just huffed, looking sad and angry as hell. Steve sat down across from them, before sighing.
"There's no need to thank me Rhodes… In my world this didn't happen. Not like this. We trusted Tony when he said he could fix the Accords and he did one hell of a job doing it considering the trash that was being pushed through before he found out about them. Tones always had a way with the political aspect of the job. That and his lawyers were scary." He sighed, feeling the same disbelief at what hell Reed's experiment had landed him in that he had been since he had stopped the attack and a new bone tiredness. He had work to do while they waited for word on Tony though so he wouldn't be resting anytime soon though. Once he knew Tony was out of surgery he had to speak to Strange, and get some reinforcements here. He couldn't trust this world to the Avengers who had turned against Tony, and Steve needed to know that someone had their back until he could convince the other man to come with him. Tony wouldn't leave here until the threat of the invasion was dealt with though, it wasn't the type of person his Tony had been and he didn't think it was the type of person this one was either. From what he had seen so far there wasn't many people he could trust Tony's back here, so Steve knew he had to think outside of the box. He wasn't above bringing his team in if the magician was agreeable to help. If not then Steve would just find Richards and get him to recreate the machine that had brought him here somehow. Rhodes' eyes focused on him sharply, and Steve wondered if the man knew his plans already.
"Had, Were?! You speak like…" Tony's oldest friend questioned his voice drifting off. Steve grimaced, realizing what Rhodey had caught onto from his statement.
"I lost my Tony. He was defending the planet… the universe really by reversing billions of deaths and he laid himself down on the wire just like he always did." He confirmed, hesitant to let the other man know that his best friend was dead somewhere because he had seen what Tony's death did to his Rhodes, Pepper took in a sharp and shuddering breath as Rhodey slumped in his seat at the confirmation. The red head got up and stiffly walked away after a moment, and Rhodey glared after her, looking like she had failed a test somehow.
"She was never right for Tony, She couldn't accept that he was a hero and even having him take out that damn reactor wouldn't change a thing. She'll always be like a sister to me, but I was glad when she ended things with him. Just how did he die, in your world?" The man murmured, wanting more details and condemning the red head's reactions in the same breath. Steve's eyebrows shot up. Tony and Pepper? Well he could see that, because Tony loved to flirt and without anyone stable in the role of relationship Pepper might have been tempted to take him up on it.
"Their relationship is another thing that never happened in my world. Tony's dance card was too full for her. And we lost him to Thanos… There's an invasion coming and he gave his life to end it, to protect the world and bring back those that were lost. Half the damn universe. Right now your Tony is trying to prepare for it. But I can see that's not going to well considering most of the team has gone insane and become fugitives. Or it wasn't going well before my arrival at least. I won't let another Tony die that way." He noted out loud. Rhodey looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Is that so?" He asked, sounding almost amused. "I would asked who it was filled by, but considering the dance card reference I think I can guess. Were you two good together? It's hard to imagine Tones with Rogers, especially in light of what just happened." He asked, half wistful, hoping that a Tony somewhere had been happy. Steve looked him in the eyes.
"I loved my Tony till the last breath he took. We had a rough start because of Howard's shitty parenting and the scars he left on Tony relating to me, but If I could have died instead of him I would have. I'm not going to confuse this Tony with mine if you're worried about that, I will be treating him as his own person.. but I won't be another person who cares then leaves him high and dry. 'Everyone leaves or Betrays me in the end.' That is what he told me before he passed out." He hummed, not mentioning the dreams for some reason. Something told him that Tony had kept them to himself and he would respect that. Rhodes sighed, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands roughly.
"That's Tony for you, he acts like he doesn't notice it or care when someone lets him down but it cuts him deep and he never really forgets. Even I've betrayed his trust a time or two without meaning to. I've almost got him killed a couple times by trusting the wrong person and doing my job." Rhodes admitted, sounding guilty, before he looked over Steve again. There was a moment of quiet as he examined the alternate version of the hero he knew, before the other man spoke again.
"What are you going to do, if not leave? Rogers will eventually weasel his way back into Tony's life, the invasion you mentioned- that Tony's hinted at will mean we need him and his people to help protect this world and it will give him the perfect in. And after everything , he will probably even manage to get Tony to forgive him by spinning it to be Tony's fault in the first place." He asked bluntly, and Steve had always liked that about Tony's best friend, the man never beat around the bush when it came down to the important things. Steve's smile was sharp as it spread across his face, he didn't mind sharing his plans to bring his team into this, because it was going to happen one way or another. If he didn't and brought Tony back after everything was said and done they would kill him when they realized he had taken this on solo. They were a family and they protected their own, going at something this dangerous on your own was stupid.
"One of the Doctor's working on Tony is a man called Stephan Strange. He's able to weld 'magic' I intend to ask him if he wouldn't mind delivering a message to my team, then helping them over. I know I can trust keeping Tony alive, happy and healthy to them." he replied simply. Rhodey nodded one, looking a little sad, but relieved at his declaration.
"When this is all done and over with I'm going to be saying goodbye to my best friend, aren't I?" He asked, sounding a little resigned, he didn't sound like he'd fight Steve to keep him though and that was disturbing. He couldn't imagine Rhodey ever willingly say goodbye to Tony. Steve sighed, before nodding.
"If I have my way, yes. From what I've seen of this world Since Reed's device dumped me here, this is Tony Stark's hell 24-7. I won't leave him here to deny and drown any of his feelings in the aftermath of his team abandoning him, or Rogers beating him almost to death just so he can function as a hero. My team coming here and helping him protect the world will endure them to him, so whatever their doubles have done, he can separate them before we go." He admitted, without any hesitation or regret. Being upfront with Rhodes was always the best way to handle things after all.
"I don't blame you for taking one look at what you landed in and deciding to get him the hell out of dodge. One of these day's there won't be a last minute save from someone who gives a damn being tossed into this reality randomly. He'll die by their hands before fighting back, and I'm in no shape to protect him, I don't know if I will ever be again even with my suit." Rhodes murmured, his voice rough and broken. That made sense, more sense then him being willing to say Goodbye to Tony. He wanted him to be happy more then he wanted to hold him in this world where it wasn't likely that he would be able to be.
"I'll be watching you, and your team when you get them here. If you are good to him, good for him… then I will do my best to convince him to go with you. He deserves to be happy. To have a team that respects him. And he's not going to get that here. The others… I don't see them admitting that they were wrong, that they used his hospitably, funds and genius for their own betterment then dumped him the moment Captain America came calling." He warned, sounding broken still, but strong in a way that let Steve know that he wouldn't hesitate to go after him if he wasn't good for the genius. That his plans to take Tony with him wouldn't mean a thing unless he approved.
"We won't let him be hurt if we can help it. Here or back home." He promised, looking into the other man's eyes and willing him to understand how sincere he was. Rhodes nodded before biting his lip. He seemed to come to a decision after a moment, before taking a deep breath.
"He's going to need support when he wakes up, more then I will be able to handle on my own. Pepper… when you called in to have a reactor waiting for Tony at whatever medical facility they got him to she knew that his condition was bad even if she didn't want to admit it. And she wasn't willing to entertain the idea of losing him. Tony had made something that he told me would give me back my legs faster after my accident, only it would have side effects of the hero kind that I didn't want, so I turned him down and he shelved the project. After they broke up, Tony never revoked her medical proxy. She had his formula administered to keep him alive and that's one of the biggest betrayals he will have dealt with to date. He never wanted to use that on himself, he was happy going the slow road you know? My own misgivings about the side effects were something he understood, because he thought about what he'd feel like if it was him in that position- it's why he didn't push me after I explained to him just why I wouldn't take it. And there might be some backlash if anyone finds out that he has been enhanced." he murmured, almost talking at a decibel that even Steve couldn't hear. The super Soldier read between the lines, healing Spinal Damage wasn't an easy thing, it would take something of a miracle… The kind of miracle that had taken a thin asthmatic boy and turned him into a hero. He felt dull nails digging into his hand before he realized that his fingers had curled into fists. It was one thing to volunteer for something as life changing as what he had, but it was another entirely to have it forced on you, like Pepper had done to Tony.
"The… formula, what changes will we be seeing since it was used on him?" He asked, focusing in on that since until he spoke to Strange there wasn't much more he could do about the betrayal. Though his resolve to get his team over here to have Tony's back was stronger then ever- hopefully they could help him handle the backlash that would be coming from Tony himself and those who may want to start something over the fact that this had been done to him. Potts could find herself charged if it ever came out that it had been done without Tony's consent even and Steve wasn't sure that she shouldn't be. But they would come to that point when it happened. Rhodey sighed, looking towards the double doors, before shaking his head and looking back at Steve.
"I know the formula was stable so there isn't an issue with it having been not ready, he wouldn't have offered it to me if it wasn't, but I'm no Tony and If Pepper is smart she's deleted any files on it already so no one will ever truly know what to expect besides Tony and no one besides those of us who know how deeply she betrayed him will even know of it. It's administration will be falsified as a dose of adrenaline in the paperwork if I understood her correctly. He coded around then." The Soldier replied. Steve's eyes wandered to the door. Knowing his version of Tony, if the other man had been going to use it to save his best friend then there would have been extra's to make sure Rhodes wouldn't see the same disability again. He almost felt like laughing, screaming and making Pepper Potts disappear all at once. While he understood wanting to keep Tony alive at all costs, his own preference when it came to the formula should have been respected, they had called in a magician to help stabilize him.
It was about then that Pepper started back into the waiting area, and Steve had to resist telling her to leave. She was Tony's medical Proxy, if anything happened in the surgery and they needed her to decide anything she was going to be needed here, in the building if not in the room at least. Once Tony was up and about Steve would have to make sure that was changed. She proved that she wasn't trustworthy enough to respect his wishes for treatment with what she had pulled. Rhodes cleared his throat as she got closer and he tried to relax his face from there glare he knew had to be on it. He didn't like what she had done to a man that had suffered enough already, and like the insane version of this worlds Avenger's she would try to justify it. He needed a distraction, and if that happened to get her out of the room for a few minutes so he could calm himself, then all the better. He decided he needed to read up on this world, and for that he would need a Stark Tablet, he'd ask her politely to get him one. She gave him a wary look as he came closer to the chairs, as if she was expecting him to say something about her storming off like he had, and while he had plenty to say, he wouldn't.
"It's come to my attention that I need to catch up on the differences between my world and this one, if I'm going to help Tony. Could I bother you for a Stark Tablet so I can work on that while we are waiting for Tony to get out of surgery. I.. I just feel like I need to be doing something, and I can't help him in there." He asked politely, a sheepish smile and hint of begging and touch of shame lacing his words. She blinked in shock and a touch of confusion at his request for a tablet, before nodding stiffly and hurrying out of the room She didn't look like she had wanted to be back anymore then he had wanted her there to be honest. Rhodes snickered after she was out of the room, shooting Steve an approving look and an accepting grin.
"I almost thought you were going to lecture her on her choices, then you turned it around and turned on the gosh golly charm. I already like you better then the Rogers we have here." He complemented. Steve raised an eyebrow and Rhodes shook his head. "Rogers rarely misses a chance to lecture. I think one of the first things he told Tony was he was nothing without his suit, I swear the guy was fixated on comparing Tones to his bastard father, and forever finding Tones lacking in that man's shadow." He explained. Steve felt his stomach knot as he realized just how stuck on the past his other self was- it wasn't just an obsession with Bucky but an obsession with what he has lost. By the time the Avenger's had been assembled that first time, Steve had read about what had happened while he was on ice, determined to get to know the world he found himself in.
He'd absorbed anything he could get his hands on. Newspaper's, gossip magazines… even police reports when he had gone to Shield and asked for more information after finding a mention of something darker. It had been given to him, and he had been surprised when Fury went to debrief him on the people he had gathered, and deliberately painted Howard's son as a wastrel that was arrogant and overall someone Steve wouldn't like. This Steve must have fallen for it, must not have seen the police reports that Tony's school had filed in regards to Howard striking his son and held onto the memory of the rakish man who had flown him behind enemy lines to save his best friend. Of Course this him was an idiot- a snapshot of a man never told the whole story. That first meeting with Tony, Steve had seen a man desperately trying to make up for the mistakes he had perceived that he had made, and looking for approval of the team he wanted to be part of and that had stuck with him. Tony had been the one reluctant to trust that Steve was being honest in his desire to be his friend and then something more, but he had good reasons given the fact that Howard was forever comparing his son to Steve and finding his son lacking.
"The version of me that you have known is an idiot. From the little I know of this world, it seems he clung to what life had been before the freeze, and didn't bother getting to know Tony as anything other then what he assumed a man who he had known for month's son would be like. I didn't hold onto any notions that Howard might not have been the best father… by the time I met my Tony I knew that he had been an asshole that hadn't deserved the son he had. That he had hurt Tony, and even that lovely packet of videos and news articles of Tony acting like a drunken, irresponsible fool that Fury gave me to brief me on the potential problem member of the team he wanted me to lead didn't make me see him in any other way." He growled under his breath, once again wanting nothing more then to take the other version of himself to task… Preferably with his fists. Rhodey looked at him in disbelief, before cursing and rubbing his eyes.
"Tony mentioned Rogers saying something about having seen the videos on the carrier. Fury is a damned idiot, always having a plot in the works, though I don't know what the hell he got out of Tony being the outcast of his little boy band though. This split- it was inevitable with everyone treating Tony like he was nothing more then a bank and a dangerous joke." Rhodes muttered. Steve snorted.
"He got a contingency plan out of it. Tony was his choice for team lead involving the Avenger's until I was found. By creating a potential rift, if anything with wrong with Rogers or Shield, Tony would step up and reform the Avengers in a time of need and has the resources to run them. Rogers wouldn't be needed then, so he wouldn't have to clean up whatever mess the man made. Like with this drama over Bucky my alternate created by keeping secrets and using Tony. Rogers and those who sided with him won't be accepted back easily. The universe in in danger, and Tony won't sit back if he's as alike my version as I think he is so his plan worked as hellish as it was for Tony." He sneered, wishing he had a few minutes with Shield's former director too. Rhodes glared at the wall.
"All the more reason for the Accords and their accountability in my book. Fury was the all knowing mastermind behind the scenes for decades, and who know just what kind of hell he inflicted for the greater good to borrow a term from the Potter books. He didn't need to plot and create distance in the team Tony took on as his family though, if anything happened Tony would have brought them together again because that who he is." Rhodes muttered darkly. Steve just nodded, wondering if his world would have gone along the lines of this one if he hadn't been determined to make it in the future. Or if some other thing would have changed it, if the team had identified more with the genius would they have sided with Tony rather then him. All the what ifs were giving him a head ache. He hated not knowing what the hell had changed this place into the hell it was though.
"Have they said anything about Tony? Both of you look pretty upset." Pepper's voice broke through the dark mood that had fallen on them as she came back into the waiting room with a Stark Pad in her hands. She looked to Rhodes for the answer, even though she had directed it at both of them. Steve didn't mind the dismissal, he was a stranger to her even if she had known his alternate. Rhodes shook his head, before looking at Steve and then back to her.
"Stevie there was just comparing the differences in between his world and Ours with me while we waited for you Pepper and we were theorizing the motives of a certain eye patch wearing mastermind when it came to a similarity that went differently. It got a little heavy." He assured her. She sighed, before handing Steve the tablet and going to a seat closer to Rhodes.
"Maybe you'd like to fill me in on what you two discussed later?" She suggested softly, sounding unsure. Rhodes didn't say anything and Steve decided he needed some space to learn about this world, and to check in on something that had been bothering him since Tony had told him that he had lost JARVIS. His Tony was vigilant in making sure his AI pride and joy backed himself up on a secluded server Daily even after he had a body, so if anything happened to his main programming he wouldn't be lost, and he couldn't imagine that this Tony was any different. JARVIS was precious to him, he had heard the pain in his voice when he had admitted that he was gone. The question was now if JARVIS was on his secluded server why hadn't Tony gotten him out, why was a new AI in place?
The most obvious answer was Wanda. She had been in the genius' head, and he knew his version could alter memories whenever she pleased. And if she wanted him to suffer as badly as the Wanda in his world had seemed to want their Tony to then erasing the memories of the back ups so JARVIS stayed 'Dead' would do just that. This version of Tony didn't sound like he had many reasons to trust anyone else with the knowledge of JARVIS' back up servers, so it was up to him now. It would take time for Steve to get his team here, but JARVIS' first Priority was Tony, having him back in action gave Steve someone he could trust as soon as he was found.
With that thought he moved to the furthest corner of the room, leaving Rhodes and Potts to their own devices as he got to work. His Tony had taken great pride in showing him how to manipulate his tech to get what he wanted, and he could only hope there wasn't too much difference between the two worlds in how things worked because if he ran into an issue he couldn't exactly troubleshoot the problem with anyone. He knew of his JARVIS' back up location so that would be his first destination to look, with any luck he would have the AI back in action before the genius had woken up from his surgery and found his biology changed by his ex-girlfriend. Rhodes was right in saying he would need support, and Steve didn't think he was quite qualified given he'd been in this world less then a day. He would try but having JARVIS back would go a long way in helping the other man recover- both mentally and physically and he knew it.
Working on getting into the server was an excellent way to pass time and ignore the silence that had fallen over the waiting room with Pepper's return apparently. He barely noticed the other two people in the room as he picked, poked and prodded at the isolated server's defenses until he found his way in. If JARVIS wasn't in there… Steve wasn't sure he wanted to know what was. It was well protected to say the least, and this could go south if it wasn't what he was expecting but he pushed on. At the one hour mark he had some success, and tapped his ear to connect the com device there to the tablet, so if he did get to Jarvis the AI's voice wouldn't be projected into the room while he explained what had happened since his last back up. He didn't think the AI would be pleased at all with what had happened to his creator, going off what he knew of the AI turned android in his world.
Steve wanted this to be a surprise for Tony first and foremost. Not have to explain that yes he had used the tablet for hacking instead of research on an off whim that the AI wasn't really destroyed, at least he wanted to avoid having to do so until after they knew the genius would be okay. Rhodes would probably be relieved and amused, but Potts. She might take the tablet, considering the fact that by doing this his was proving himself a risk. Hacking secured servers owned by SI was generally frowned upon after all, even if he was bringing home a lost friend. He wanted to know that Tony had the support system that he needed in place while he was grilled on the how's and whys of his actions. He would deal with whatever fall out from the AI's recovery then and only then, since he didn't think he would be able to focus on Tony while doing so. The Com connected to the tablet, and he thanked god that Tony Stark's thought alike enough for them to be compatible even in an alternate reality. Once that was done he pushed forward on the weak spot he had created and almost instantly a familiar voice demanded to know what he was doing.
'Recovering you. I'm Steve Rogers, only not the one you're familiar with. I arrived in this world in time to save Tony from having his chest completely smashed in by Rogers Shield- you have a lot to catch up on since your last download in Slovakia I'm afraid. Things have changed, you were presumed lost after your program was dismantled by Ultron and it's been a couple of years since then. Tony's currently in surgery having the arc reactor reinstalled into his chest.' He typed in reply, not wanting to speak and draw attention to himself. The AI didn't vocalize a reaction to his words, but there was a delay in response as he processed what he had been told.
"Why did sir fail to recover me after my main program was.. dismantled?" the AI asked, sounding perplexed. "And why would Captain Rogers attempt to kill him? Is Sir expected to survive this surgery?" there was a sharper tone to these questions. Steve paused, trying to think about how he was going to explain this before trying to type. No doubt Jarvis would be monitoring every keystroke so there wouldn't be any erasing or trying again. And he didn't even know anything for sure- most of what he knew was speculation beyond his experience saving Tony.
'I think Wanda, the red witch had something to do with Tony thinking you were gone forever. She got into his head in Slovakia and I know from experience the one from my world is capable of such things. When I mentioned you after he was attacked, that grief and conviction that you were gone was real. As for why Rogers attacked him. JARVIS these people.. these versions of my friends are so twisted from the ones I know. The team I come from- it cared for Tony. This separation I'm seeing, the attack. It would have never happened in my world. When we lost him it almost broke us so seeing this? Seeing most everyone of his team has abandoned Tony on Rogers call is physically painful. There are these things called the Accords being negotiated right now, when you get back onto the SI server's you'll be able to read them and see what Tony's done to keep enhanced people safe. Rogers refused to have anything to do with them, and on top of that he had been using Tony's funds to find his best friend. The one he hadn't told Tony was used to kill his parents. Tony found out shortly before the attack, and lost his temper. Rogers was trying to kill him because he assumed he would kill Barnes JARVIS, plain and simple.' He finally typed, wishing he knew more about the specifics of why this had all happened once again. There was another pause before the AI replied to what he had written.
"I see. You did not address my question on if Sir was expected to survive this surgery. I am in the process of connecting to SI mainframes through the breach you made in this server's firewalls, the data transfer was restricted to one way to prevent my program from being extracted unless Sir authorized it or I would have returned much sooner then this, rest assured." Jarvis informed him, his tone tight. It always amazed Steve how much emotion the AI could show, about how the other man had become sentient but had started out coding that Tony had painstakingly crafted. Any other person wouldn't had achieved the same results he was sure. JARVIS and Tony were both one of a kind in every world for sure. He resisted a sigh, or any other noise that may bring attention to him all the same though as he thought out his next response. Telling the AI about the unwanted procedure could result in JARVIS taking action against Potts before Tony was no longer in need of her decision making.
'Measures were taken without his permission by his medical proxy to make sure he would survive. Don't worry JARVIS he will be okay even if it wasn't achieved in a way that he would have wanted. On the main server you will find another AI. Her name is Friday, just to let you know.' He replied, not wanting the AI to try to get into the SI servers without knowing that there was another conscious occupying his home. Another length of silence followed his words.
Very well. The Servers should be more then enough to host both Friday and myself. I am in the process of letting her know who I am and validating my identity, which is necessary because I was indeed thought lost. After that is complete then I will be reintegrating into the SI servers and assimilating the data that has accumulated during my unwanted exile before executing any needed actions on Sir's behalf. Please bring this device with you when you see Sir. I would like to be able to talk with him when he wakes so I can be sure of his well being. From what you have told me alone he has been through much in my absence." Jarvis replied before disconnecting. Steve smiled to himself as he got to his intended task of learning about this world. The fact that he was able to make his right for Tony, after everything the other man had been through made him happy, and perhaps would go a long way to proving that he would be good for Tony to Rhodes and getting the other man firmly on board convincing Tony to come with him once everything was said and done.
As Steve read over recent events, and started going back further he saw just how… twisted this world was. And proved to himself how similar this Tony was to his.
It wasn't the man in surgery that had made the choices that had changed how this world had developed, but those around him. Rogers holding firm to his past instead of trying to integrate for example. Another difference was in the android that was part of the Avengers. In his world it was JARVIS given physical form after he had requested one. Here it was a being named The Vison that had come about after Ultron. Steve kept digging through the reports and news articles until he came across something that had been grabbed off the internet when Rogers and Widow dumped all of shields classified information there and sequestered it into a SI server for safe keeping. The idiots got thousands of agents killed with that stunt no doubt and probably hadn't thought twice about the results of their actions. Given the files on the cleanup Tony and SI had conducted, it looked like they hadn't even faced the repercussions they should have for the deaths they caused. The entitled idiots had been proud of their work even from the reports he was reading. The disregard for innocent lives lost was appalling.
The files that had his attention were reports from a certain Agent still thought dead in this world that were buried in another file to disguise. In his world Coulson had reached out, because he hadn't been able to bear the thought of Tony thinking he was dead. Fury had erased Barton from his mind, but the fact that the Agent was so close to Tony wasn't widely known at the time, so he hadn't bothered tampering with anything related to the genius. It looked like the closeness wasn't the same since the other man hadn't reached out- or Fury was smarter and had erased Tony as well. Steve debated with himself a moment, before deciding that even if Phil wasn't attached to Tony in the same way as his Phil he still needed help. What Fury had done to bring him back had repercussion that Strange could help with. It would be for the best in the long run- Coulson could take over playing babysitter for the rouge Avengers after Steve got Tony to agree to go with him and hopefully that would ease the other man's mind about leaving if he had any worries about what would happen without him.
So for the second time that day Steve set about contacting someone that Tony Stark thought was lost to him. Needless to say getting to Coulson was easier then getting to Jarvis had been. The other man's firewalls were nowhere near Stark level and though he couldn't risk communicating with the Agent vocally he could do texting just fine. The other man wasn't near a computer, so he targeted his cell phone, and sent a message within about ten minutes of making his decision to reach out.
'Avenger Emergency: Tony Stark currently receiving Arc reactor implant after almost being killed by Steve Rogers during a conflict involving the man who Hydra used to kill Stark Parents. Current Conflict over the Accords has most Avengers fugitives at this point because they sided with Rogers and refused to wait for Stark to finish his political and diplomatic attempts to rectify shady parts of it. Stark currently has a severely injured Rhodes and mystically enhanced Android as a team. Back up would be appreciated.' He sent, along with the hospitals coordinates. Unlike Jarvis pauses as he assimilated Steve's messages the response was immediate.
'On my way. Status on Stark?' Steve's lips twitched. While things may not have gone the way they had in his world the Agent obviously cared about Tony enough to come when needed apparently, even when the source of the call to come was unknown.
'No update as of yet. Stark's medical Proxy made a decision similar to the patch when it came to your demise, so estimation is survival.' He replied, hoping that he was making the right decision in implying that something extra had to be done to keep Tony alive.
'I see. Who is this and are any of the other Avengers- former or current- aware I am alive?' Steve snorted at that, he couldn't help it. After saying he was on his way he asks who was communicating with him? It was amusing only because the Agent was willing to trust an unknown person that he was needed, and only tried to find out that persons identity once he had asked about Tony's status. It was something that his Phil would have done down to a T.
'I'm not from around here so you don't know me personally, and I only knew about your survival from my version of how things happened, also I'd like you to know that I know of some ways to help the reminders patch left behind when he fixed you up. I arrived here in time to stop myself from ending Stark's life. I'm doing some leg work while he's in surgery since we have an end of the world situation approaching and the world needs heroes while the previous Avengers are content with being fugitives. In my world you were someone my Tony could depend on so I'm hoping its the same here, even if you haven't felt the need to tell him you're alive again.' He replied, unable to resist a poke at the fact the other man hadn't yet told anyone he was alive.
'As you mentioned, the method used to bring me back had consequences. I haven't been able to work around them, and have been kept busy by other things related previous work. I'm reserving the right to believe you until I get eyes on the situation at the hospital.' Coulson replied. Steve sighed, because his Phil had gotten a hold of them right away he didn't know how much the side effects of Fury's reanimation treatment had progressed. He would need to get Strange to look over the other man before he allowed too much interaction with Tony. Coulson may seem mild mannered but he could do serious damage when he was set on harming something,
'Understandable. I want someone to look over you once you're here. He may be able to help some of it right away.' He replied, before waiting. After ten minutes he assumed that the other man was done talking with him, and continued to research this world. Everything was quiet until Coulson arrived in the waiting room before the surgeons did, then it got loud and Steve's meddling was found out.