While chatting with a few veterans, some he knew and others he didn't and Thor, who managed to make it,Gage went to look for Quinn. He found her in the lab, working tirelessly on the A.I. her father found. He leaned against the lab door with a smile. "Care to take a break?" She turned, seeing him dressed to the nines in a nice suit Tony bought him. She grinned. "Well don't you shine up nicely? I don't think I've ever seen you in a suit. Like, really seen you." He frowned, feeling self-conscious, adjusting his tie. "Is it that bad?" She walked over, grabbing a hold of his tie. "Oh it is so not bad. I'll rest if we can sneak away from that party and have some sexy times because this suit is doing things to me." He grinned, holding her close. "Well then miss. Stark, let's go." She turned. "Jarvis, alert my dad and I if you're able to break though the coding?" "Of course mam, go rest. You have earned it." She grinned, grabbing his hand and going to the elevator
TJ was away from Lucy as she got pulled for a conversation from Kim and a few celebrities. TJ went back to the bar, ordering another rum and coke but soon as it was in his hand it was snatched out by Tony.
Tony sniffed it before looking at the tumbler and his son. "A rum and coke? You do realize your not even 18 yet?" TJ groaned. "Yes, I'm fully aware of that. What is with everyone tonight? It's just one drink, seriously." "Just one and then another is just one and then...wait, who is everyone?" He handed it back to the bartender before saying "And he isn't allowed any type of alcoholic beverage." "Dad-" Tony glared. "No. Don't even start. One, I do not need my minor son on the page of a tabloid because he got wasted and two, you do realize alcoholism runs in the family? I might have gone down that path but I'm not letting you go down it. Right now I don't have time to talk about exactly why you feel the need to drink but you are not having any." TJ threw his hands up,turning and ordering a Pepsi.
Lucy saw the exchange happen, glad she didn't have to barge over there herself but hated how defeated TJ looked. She politely excused herself, walking over. "Hey." He looked over, nursing a can of Pepsi. "Oh, Hey babe." She frowned. "You don't seem alright." He sighed. "Just fine." Lucy held his arm gently. "Can we talk? In private?" He sighed, turning toward her. "I don't really want to talk." "Do you want to be left alone?" He paused, not sure of how to answer. "No. Maybe we can sneak out of here, have some fun?" She smiled. "Yes, I'd love that that." He smiled, holding her hand. "Let's go then."
In dim light of the lab something was awakening. A disembodied voice spoke, deep, metallic.
"What's this? Where am I?"
Jarvis answered. "You are in Avengers Tower, in the lab of Tony Stark. You may be disoriented." "Who is Tony Stark?" JARVIS brought of videos and pictures of Tony, some with his family.
The party slowed and eventually everyone went home, leaving just the family in the party area, looking tired but happy. Tony and Kim were cuddled on the couch. Clint came over, dressed in a suit but looked more like the secret service. Tony saw him. "Hey, we've you been all night?" He sat down next to Tony. "Patrolling Mostly. How did the party go?" Kim smiled. "Better than others, that's for sure." Thor walked over with a smile. "Merry Christmas Starks, what a wonderful party." He placed his hammer on the table. Tony chuckled. "Thanks Thor. Hey where the kids at?" Kim chuckled. "Probably hiding away from the party. We should call them up here. Jarvis, tell them all the people are gone and they can come out of hiding." "Yes mam."
It was minutes later that they all came out of hiding. Clint chuckled when he saw Gage with Quinn. "So that's where you ran off to, typical." Gage playfully punched his brothers arm. "Shut it." His tie was loose and no longer wearing the blazer. TJ saw Thor, smiling as he held, now Loki, in normal clothes, close. "Thor! Hey!" Thor smiled. "Son Of Stark, how have you been?" They shook hands. "Just great." Thor hugged Loki next. "Oh brother, how have you been?" Loki smiled. "I have been just fine. Let's sit down and drink some hot cocoa."
While everyone was seated and talking and laughing Clint brought up the topic of Thor's hammer that was sitting on the table in front of them. "Can we pick up your hammer?" Thor smirked. "If you are worthy." Tony gently shoved him. "Com'on, go for it birdbrain." Clint stood, going to the table, getting a good angle before attempting to lift it. "So if I lift it I get to rule Asguard?" Thor nodded. "Of course." He chuckled before starting. "Can't wait to sit on that throne. I promise to be nice."
He started to pick it up, groaning with the effort and it stayed still. He heard his brother heckle him, talking to Tony. "He can't get it up, gonna have to get him some little blue pills." Clint let go of it with a huff. "Ok, this magic is too freaky. That was my try. My dear brother, since you are so kind to tell me what I was doing wrong, why don't you try?" Gage smirked as Quinn grinned. "Go for baby!" Gage chuckled. "Fine, Fine." He attempted but it wouldn't budge. He looked to Quinn. "Hey sweetie, how about some teamwork?" She chuckled, standing, calling her armor hand, having it wrap around her hand. "Ok, let's try this."
They stood close to each other, gripping the handle as they both pulled, Quinn using the Thrusters on her hand. Gage groaned. "Are you even pulling?" "Yes I'm pulling, are you?" "No, I'm just looking like I am for the hell of it, pull!" Gage and Quinn both eventually sat back down. Thor looked to Kim. "Lady stark, would you like a go?" Kim smiled, snuggling into tony. "Nope. That's not a question I need answered." Thor looked to Loki who glared. "No but TJ, why don't you give it a try?" TJ shrugged. "Sure. What's the worst that can happen?" Clint chuckled as TJ stood. "You know you never want to ask that TJ."
TJ took his spot at the the table, hands wrapped around it. He felt static in his hands, flowing gently, like water touching his skin but a little more intense but not painful in any way. It was weird but figured it was just the hammer and it puts that off. But a millisecond before the hammer lifted off the table he realized he could pick it up.
The hammer deems him worthy.
He stood back, playing it off. This had to be a joke. "You know, I'm good. I'm with Mom, who needs that question answered. Plus I don't think I'm old enough to rule Asguard." But Thor saw the movement along with Loki. TJ excused himself, trying not to run out of the room.
When he got down to their living room a few floors down from the party room, he collapsed onto the couch, head in his hands as he thought over and over that the hammer was wrong. He wasn't worthy, he's killed hundreds of innocent lives while under the tesseract. He's had more than his fair share of nightmares about it but he wasn't about to talk to Loki and make him feel worse or Quinn or his dad. They all had their own shit to deal with that wasn't his.
"TJ?" Loki called out as he walked into the living room. TJ stood from the couch, wiping his face. "Yeah baby?" Loki frowned as he saw him. Seeing the same Haunted look he's seen in the others. "You were able to pick up the hammer." TJ shook his head. "Nope. It's a fluke, Thor is playing a joke one me-" Loki walked closer. "Thor was never one for tricks. Love, the hammer chose you. Why can't you believe that?" TJ felt his eyes well up, feeling words escape him like word vomit.
"Because I've killed. I've killed an entire school and everyone treats it like it never happened. But those were my hands, my skills that killed children." His lip trembled. Loki swallowed back his own guilt to comfort his boyfriend. "Love,you have to understand: that wasn't you. You were under mind control, the same mind control Agent Barton was under so many years ago. He killed fellow shield agents, do you think he a killer?" "No! Of course not." Loki was inches from him now. "Then why can't you see the same in you?"
TJ sucked in a breath. "Why am I worthy?" Loki smiled sadly,holding his face gently. "Because you are kind, loving, loyal and the best man I've ever known. How long has this been bothering you?" TJ looked away. "Since the day it happened. I've just been burying it, dealing with everything else that happens to us. Guess I just couldn't bury it anymore. We've been at peace for months. Gave me nothing to do but think about it." Loki wrapped his arms around him, feeling anxiety and guilt starting to eat away at him, feeling it from TJ as his love wrapped his own arms around him, crying into the nape of his neck. Loki kissed his head. "Shhh love, it's alright. Nothing has to happen of this. So you can lift the hammer, it's just another fact about you. That's all. How about we watch bad tv and snuggle?" TJ nodded, wiping his eyes as he pulled away. "Yeah, That sounds nice. Don't really feel like joining everyone else." Loki nodded. "I'll let them know. Jarvis? Can you tell the rest of the family we won't be joining them?"
They were met with silence. TJ frowned. That was never a good sign. He called out. "Jay?" Nothing. Loki was starting to look scared. "That's not good. We should check on the others." TJ got his gun out as they ran back to the elevator before TJ made a stop for the lab. Loki calling out to him as he ran. "TJ, now is not the time to stop-" Before he could finish his scepter was push into him, forcing him to hold it. TJ let out a breath. "I'm not letting you go up there with no weapon." Loki looked terrified but TJ assured him. "I trust you, now let's go." Loki swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat as they continued their way upstairs.
After TJ had run away Kim frowned with worry. "I wonder why he ran off. Is something bothering him?" Thor stood, wanting to cover TJs tracks, seeing what Loki saw as well. "I think I know very well what his problem is." He picked up his hammer with a smile. "He is not worthy."
Suddenly there was loud high pitched screech, making everyone stand on alert. But when the sound faded they saw the broken bits of Ultron walking into the room. He started speaking. Broken and metallic. "Worthy... No... How could he be worthy? Your all killers."
Gage was the first to speak, his gun held high, aimed at robot. "Stark. What's going on?" Tony called out. "JARVIS. Buddy? A little help." The robot continued forward. "Sorry I was asleep... Or... I was in a dream...There was a terrible noise... And I was tangled in... in... strings... I had to kill the other guy... He was a good guy." Kim asked in horror. " You killed someone? Oh god.." she feared the worst for TJ and Loki.
Ultron answered."Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices."
Thor spoke up, hammer in hand. "Who sent you?" Ultron repeated Tony's voice. Replaying it. "We could have peace in our time, with this."
Bruce swallowed down his fear. "Ultron." Ultron replied. "In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this... chrysalis... But I'm ready. I'm on a mission." Clint asked, gun ready. "And what mission is that?"
"Peace in our time." Ultron finished as three other suits broke through the wall behind him, attacking everyone.
Clint brought Kim behind the bar, Bruce as well. Clint yelled. "You both stay here and don't hulk out!" He then ran off as Bruce put his arms around Kim, keeping her protected.
Between Thor, Gage and Clint they got most of the rouge suits but Ultron was still there but suddenly a blue,familiar shot went through him three times as he fell to the ground in bits and pieces. Loki was breathing heavily from running, TJ behind him as he ran in. As Clint was helping Kim and Bruce out from the bar, she saw her son, nearly running best she could in the debris. "Oh TJ!" He met her halfway, hugging her. "Thank god your ok, What the hell happened?" He asked. She took in a breath. "I don't know, I was just so worried about you and Loki. He said he killed someone and Jarvis is offline, we had no way of finding you."
Quinn saw Loki holding the scepter. "Is that safe?" TJ nodded. "I trust him plus he did just save your butts." Quinn smiled weakly. "True But we should get to the lab, find out what the hell just happened. Jarvis still isn't answering."
When they got to the lab it was a mess of papers and broken glass as Tony went to the computer, bringing up Jarvis neural-work , finding it broken and fractured beyond repair. Kim brought her hands to her mouth. "Jarvis, he's gone?" Bruce frowned. "Unfortunately. He was The only one keeping Ultron at bay so he took him out. That's why he wasn't answering." TJ felt his eyes water again. His state of mind is already fragile, he didn't need this loss. "He can't just be gone, he's a computer right? You can fix him or use a-a back up."
Quinn went to her brother, looking just as sad. "It's not that simple, not with A.I. as advance as him. We may never get him back." Bruce ran his hands through his hair. "This is bad. Tony, he's out there, in the mainframe, not just stark servers. He could send nukes out or cause a war-" Suddenly Thor broke trough the crowd, grabbing Tony by his shirt. "This is your doing stark!" Clint and Gage both went to Thor, attempting to get him down. Clint. Spoke up. "Thor let him go!" Gage spoke next. "It wasn't just Tony Thor, it was Bruce and Quinn, do you want t go after them too?" Thor glared, letting him down as Tony coughed, Clint and Kim both going over to him.
Thor paced. "You Starks could never leave anything alone. And now a mechanical monster is out there." Quinn spoke, walking closer to Thor. "That wasn't what we intended Thor, you know that. We didn't know it was gonna kill Jarvis and escape. We just wanted to help the world." Thor kept his glare. "And look where that has gotten you. I must go to Asguard, Perhaps Hemdhal will be able to find him." He walked out of the lab, stomping away angrily.
Loki frowned, placing the scepter back. "I apologize for my brothers temper." Tony waved a hand. "Don't. He means well. I understand." Clint frowned. "Doesn't mean he should have started strangling you." Tony pointed a finger. "First he wasn't, really. He didn't put any pressure on my throat, just enough to prove his point." Kim rolled her eyes. "Not the point plus we're getting off topic. You, Quinn and Brice made a murderbot, accident or not and we need to focus on that."
"But we lost Jay." All eyes turned to TJ looking very upset. Loki coming to his side. "Love-" He shook his head. "No, we lost someone. Does anyone care that we lost him?" Before Tony or anyone could answer his son was already out the lab door, Loki following close behind.
Tony gave Kim a worried look. "Somethings bothering him. It's not just losing Jarvis." Kim frowned. "Why? Did something happen between you two?" "I caught him trying to drink. A rum and coke of all things. I don't think it was his first attempt either." Kim looked just as worried. "He probably thought it would just look like a soda to us. Should we talk to him?" Clint gave a sad chuckle. "Like he's even going to open up. Getting him to open up to anyone that isn't Loki is like pulling teeth." Quinn spike up. "He opens up to me a little easier, I'll go check on him."