Chapter four is up! I hope you enjoy it! Ah, Tony, it is so fun to be a smartass vicariously through you...
Hopefully the next update won't take as long as this one did. I promised myself I wouldn't start another Clint/Tasha or any other Avengers fic till I finished this one, so naturally I have three going at once. *dies from being horribly mutilated by plot bunnies*
Can I just say, I am floored by all the love my lil' story has received! Thank you sooo much for reading and reviewing!
The sun rose over the broken New York skyline, offering hope and reassurance that a new start was possible even after the devastating events of the day before.
Anthony Stark had been up at first light, entirely consumed by plans for the renovation of his tower and modifying the top dozen floors or so to suit his vision of an Avengers headquarters. Until he could get the logistics worked out for a separate location down the road, this was the most viable option for their group in his mind.
Pepper, clothed in only her light blue panties and Tony's black Slayer t-shirt, joined him at his desk and blinked sleepily at the glowing virtual floor plans he was working on. "What's 'Big Guy's lab? Is that for Bruce?" She asked, a little smile warming her features.
"Yeah, I'm converting this section into an observation deck that adjoins our work areas. I'll rig it up with my best tech and download a separate A.I. server for him to use when he's here." Tony replied in a distracted tone as he spun the design around with a flick of his index finger. A pleased giggle bubbled up from the strawberry blonde and Tony cast a suspicious glance at her. "What?" He exclaimed over her laughter.
"Nothing. I just think it's nice. You're making a space to play Science with your new friend." Pepper replied, kissing him on the cheek. Tony processed her comment for a moment, a sideways grin crossing his face. Unwilling to refute or acknowledge her remark about him, he simply made a dismissive noise in his throat and resumed his work.
"Come down for breakfast in half an hour. I had something ordered in last night." Pepper instructed, certain she would end up having to come collect the man in an hour regardless of what she told him. "Jarvis send everyone a wake-up call and tell them breakfast will be on the 17th floor west balcony at 8:00." The perpetually prepared woman directed the digital persona as she headed to the shower.
"Of course Miss Potts, however I must inform you that my systems in Agent Barton's room were compromised sometime during the night. I am unable to activate the surveillance system or unlock the door." Jarvis advised. Pepper cast a worried glance at Tony, but the Iron Man just shrugged.
"He's not a top S.H.I.E.L.D. soldier-boy for nothing, I guess. Though that does strike me more like something 'Miss Rushman' would do, not him." Tony replied, smirking as he recalled how entertaining it had been to threaten to blow Natasha's cover the last time they met. Spies sure could be touchy about their whole incognito shtick.
"Agent Romanoff's room has been unoccupied all night Sir." Jarvis reported laconically, causing the A.I.'s creator to bark with laughter. Tony grinned conspiratorially at his girlfriend, but she just rolled her eyes at him.
"Leave it alone, Tony. That doesn't mean anything is going on between them, and even if there is… Well, they deserve some peace after everything that's happened!" Pepper admonished, feeling more than a little awkward about this topic of conversation.
"You're absolutely right. I'll leave Mr. and Mrs. Agent alone, cross my heart." Stark replied, tapping the glowing metallic circle in his chest with a look of mock-innocence. Pepper shook her head and retreated to the master bathroom, hoping whatever mischief Tony was concocting didn't earn him any permanent injuries from either S.H.I.E.L.D. member.
Captain Rogers leaned against the wall with a bright red apple in one hand, a steaming cup of gourmet coffee in the other. He watched everyone on the balcony enjoying a beautiful breakfast that looked like it could have come from a five star hotel. Perhaps it had. The Captain had to hand it to Stark, being a billionaire certainly had its advantages.
It warmed Steve's heart to see Dr. Banner engaged in a conversation with Tony about some scientific topic that sailed over his head. Their unexpected friendship would do both men a world of good. Banner needed to know there were people in his life he could count on now, and Tony… Well it wouldn't hurt Stark to be the one giving in a relationship for a change.
Dr. Selvig and Thor were laughing together at the other table; Steve thought he heard something about drinking and making their ancestors proud.
The two S.H.I.E.L.D. agent members of their team were noticeably absent, but no one had commented on it thus far. Captain Rogers didn't get much time to wonder where they were, however.
"Mr. Stark, Mister… ah, Thor…" One of the agents sent by Fury to guard Loki appeared in the doorway holding a large black portfolio. "I have Director Fury on the line for you." Everyone turned to watch as the man set the case down on the table in front of Anthony and it opened up into a digital projection screen. The stern figure of Nick Fury appeared and Steve noted from the clouds scrolling in the background he must still be aboard the Hellicarrier.
"Good morning Avengers. I'm not big on speeches, so congratulations on a job well done. There are a lot of things we need to discuss, but for now I'll stick to the main points. My men tell me Loki and the Tesseract are secure, but that report isn't going to placate my superiors for much longer." Fury cast a meaningful glance at Thor.
"I am taking my brother and the Tesseract back to Asgard. Today. Rest assured that Loki will account for his crimes." Thor stated, his commanding tone leaving no room for argument.
"I figured you'd say something like that. I have agents maintaining a perimeter around Stark tower to make sure your departure isn't... Interrupted." Fury replied. Satisfied with the Director's quick acquiescence, the demi-god's attention returned to his mountain of blueberry pancakes.
"Hang on a second, you're just letting Hammer Time take the God of Melodrama back over the rainbow? And S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to give up their shiny new cosmic energy toy just like that? I mean you hardly got it out of the wrapping paper…" Tony probed the super-spy, swirling the orange juice in his glass as if it were aged scotch. Dr. Selvig looked from Iron Man to Fury and back in disbelief. He had heard Stark was eccentric, but not that the man had a death wish. Pepper just looked annoyed.
Fury gave Stark a hard look, but refused to be baited. "Yep. Just like that." The Director replied evenly.
"We can all agree the world will be a hell of a lot safer once Loki and that cube are gone. Thank you, Thor." Bruce chimed in, hoping to quell the lingering tension in the air. Thor tipped his coffee mug towards the doctor in acknowledgement. Tony uttered an unimpressed noise, but said nothing further.
Stark's silence was not born out of respect for Banner's obvious attempt to keep the peace, but because the playboy genius suddenly became very interested in his handheld digital tablet. He seemed to be watching a video feed of some kind, and a devilish grin flickered over his features.
"Where the hell are Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff? I've been trying to contact them for a report." Fury demanded, his stern exposed eye sweeping the balcony. Pepper elbowed Tony when he snickered at the Director's inquiry. Everyone looked at Stark expectantly, but the billionaire just shrugged.
"Love to help you Nick, but I have no idea where our little assassins are, since apparently S.H.I.E.L.D. trains its agents to hack and dismantle the surveillance systems of friend or foe alike." Tony pocketed his device and met Fury's glance with a wry grin.
"Friend? Is that what you are?" Hawkeye asked as he and the Widow joined the rest of the Avengers on the balcony.
Anthony craned his head back and clapped his hand to his chest dramatically, "Agent Robin Hood, you wound me." He drawled.
Fury ignored Stark's theatrics and addressed his agents, "Romanoff, Barton. I have more calls to make this morning so I'll keep this brief. I want you to make sure our guests' departure goes smoothly, and then I want you two to go dark until further notice." The S.H.I.E.L.D. members exchanged a heavy glance.
"Sir, I'm prepared to give a full report and take responsibility for everything I did." Clint refuted, meeting Fury's intense gaze unflinchingly. Natasha stepped forward, interposing herself between her partner and her superior.
"Agent Barton has nothing to answer for. He was under Loki's control-" The spy began, but was silenced by Clint gripping her shoulder.
"Nat, it's all right. I was under Loki's control, but it was still my plan, my arrows…" Clint murmured, his eyes flashing with anger for an instant. He looked back up at Fury, "I can't explain it Sir. I was still me, but Loki's objective was my only priority. Everything else was… just an obstacle in my path." Hawkeye's tone was all business, but Natasha felt the tension in his fingers before he took his hand off her arm.
"You don't have to explain yourself to me Barton. Honestly, I was impressed. Limited resources and less than 24 hours to plan, and you managed to orchestrate and lead a surgical strike that brought the flagship of one of the most powerful paramilitary agencies in the world to its knees." The Director responded. Clint shifted his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably, wishing this conversation was not happening in front of everyone else.
"I think sometimes I take for granted that I have some of the most highly skilled and dangerous individuals in the world working for me." Nick Fury smiled then, a rarity that few people got to see. "I just need you two off the radar for a while, let things calm down a bit before I send you out in the field again. I'll expect full reports when I call you back in, but for now just… Take a damn vacation or something. You've earned it." Fury exclaimed, finally winning cautious grins from his agents with that remark.
Director Fury thanked the team again and signed off. Everyone pulled their chairs around one table and enjoyed the rest of the morning sharing food and war stories.
