"Mr. Stark is going to be fine," declared the weary looking surgeon. Carol rushed towards the skinny doctor with the almost ridiculously large glasses and shook his hand. "Thank you very much, Doctor Winkler!" The other Avengers gathered around them and started immediately asking how long Tony had to stay in the hospital.
"He will have to stay for at least three weeks, Mr. Stark is still sedated – but you can visit him in a few hours…" Doctor Winkler blinked several times when he saw alternate Tony standing a little further away, next to the Fantastic Four. Carol reacted quickly:
"Uh, don't mind him – he's…"
"Don't bother," replied the surgeon, "since my time here I've seen my share of strange Avengers-business."
Carol just nodded and headed to alternate Tony. "You're lucky, Tony. He's going to be alright." Before Tony could respond Johnny Storm cut in.
"You still owe me an apology for being such a dick – I almost died of a brain trauma or something because you knocked me out!" said a revolted Human Torch. "And you drank my booze!"
"I'm sorry, Johnny, I promise you – should you ever come to my universe I'll introduce you to our hottest gals, deal?"
"Tony! Do you really…" started Sue before her brother again interrupted.
"DEAL!"
Sue started to lecture her brother about the probability that he would ever visit alternate Tony's universe. Instead of listening Johnny inquired if Ororo Munroe was single in the other universe. Carol snorted and turned her attention towards Reed. She wasn't surprised to see him fiddle with some gadget.
"Reed, are you ok? What are you doing?"
Reed looked up, startled. He had probably forgotten all about the fact that he was in a hospital, surrounded by people, the moment that he had turned towards his beloved science. Carol sighed inwardly, but immediately chastised herself: after all, Reed had more than proven that he cared about Tony and was a useful asset in a fight.
"Yes, Carol, everything is fine." He scrunched up his face again and kept on fiddling.
"What is that you are building, if I may ask?", Carol asked.
Reed looked up again and there was something strange in his eyes. "I am recalibrating a diagnostic interdimensional holotransmissive porto-projector."
"Which means?" Carol asked patiently.
"It means he is reprogramming a device we use for assessing the dimensional origin of any given person or object", Sue said with a smile. She had approached them from behind without Carol noticing. Behind her, Johnny and alternate Tony were still chatting (bickering?), while Jan was on the phone a little distance away, beaming and apparently letting someone know that Tony was going to be fine.
"So that means you want to prevent something like this from ever happening again?" Carol asked, frowning.
Reed gave a half-shrug. "Carol, he" – he pointed towards alternate Tony – "almost got Tony killed. I cannot let that happen again." There was a strange fire in his eyes.
"Did I hear someone mention my name?" Alternate Tony turned around, facing them, an easy smile on his face. But Carol knew her Tony well enough to recognise the tension in the shoulders and the hidden sadness in the eyes of this strange impostor.
They all looked at one another uncomfortably, then Sue said "Yes, Tony 2. Reed is figuring out a way to prevent something like this from ever happening again."
The smile slid off Tony's face. "Oh. Yes, of course."
Reed made a sudden motion, putting the device into his pocket, and looking up at other-Tony. He looked… really angry again, Carol noted with surprise.
"Why? Why did you do this?"
Other-Tony cringed and looked to the floor. He didn't say anything.
Suddenly, Cap came up behind them. "Yes, I really want to know as well. What on earth made you think it would be a good idea to pretend to be our Tony?!"
"Look, Cap, old boy, I don't really feel like talking about it right now, alright?"
Cap positively growled and, for once united, he and Reed moved in on alternate Tony. "Not good enough, 'old boy'. We want answers."
Tony's eyes flitted back and forth between the two men. "Later, okay?"
Reed suddenly extended his arm and put his hand on other-Tony's shoulder. Other-Tony cringed a little and looked down. "Tony, you have a responsibility to face here. Your actions almost got our Tony killed. We need to know what has happened, precisely."
Tony flinched. "Well, my actions, that's all good and well, but you shouldn't forget that there was a teensy involvement of a nice chap called Doom."
Behind him, Johnny snickered. He was apparently enjoying the display of drama. Cap looked a lot less amused, and when he spoke, there was a dangerous edge to his voice.
"Declining responsibility, my God. Thankfully our Tony left this state of drunken irresponsibility behind him long ago."
Tony gave him a wry smile. "You really are just as self-righteous as my Cap. Not that it helped him much… in the end."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I might have my reasons for drinking, Cap."
Reed interjected. "Listen, Tony, you should seek help, there's great organisations like AA, I am sure you have something similar where you are from…"
Tony laughed bitterly. "Oh, thanks so much, I never would have thought of that."
"Yes, I mean, our Tony also had a great struggle with alcohol, but in the end, he made it and…"
Tony laughed again, interrupting Reed. "Well, glad to hear what a brilliant chap my alternate self is. I'm very much looking forward to talking to him." And without another word, he turned on his heel, shaking Reed's hand off, and disappeared down the corridor.
When he was out of sight, Tony collapsed against the wall. Shit shit shit. He really had to keep it together. But the mixture of well-justified anger and self-righteous judging he was facing in those people was hard to deal with. His feelings of guilt gnawing at him, he quickly buried his head in his hands, then took a few deep breaths and decided to try and find other-Tony. Maybe looking at himself in a drug-induced, deep, dreamless sleep was going to help him calm down.
Other-Tony was alone in a hospital room. Theoretically, he shouldn't get visitors yet, but Tony didn't really care. When he entered the room, having flirted with the nurse until she gave him access (at least his 'charm' apparently still worked), and saw the still figure on the bed, he felt a sense of dread. Oh God. I did that. I almost killed another Tony who might still have a decent shot at happiness…
He sat down on the bed, looking at the still face of his alternate self. Other-Tony looked relaxed, more relaxed that he could recall himself being, but that was probably also just the effect of the anaesthesia. From what he had seen in the network of other-Tony, that guy must have tons of issues as well. Then again, apparently, he was tough enough to deal with them without succumbing to addiction. Unlike me.
Tony just sat by the side of his alternate self, trying not to think much, unaware of the time passing, occasionally cradling other-Tony's hand in his. No reaction, other-Tony's eyes stayed closed, dark lashes a stark contrast against his pale skin.
Suddenly, Tony heard the sound of the door opening. He wasn't surprised to see Carol standing in the door.
"I thought that you would be here," she said as she pulled off her mask. Tony remained silent. Carol walked to a chair across the room and sat down slowly.
"Did they vote on who should interrogate me?" asked Tony in an untypically weary manner.
"Actually, I think they're still bickering about it."
Tony laughed. "I guess so – I guess Cap wants to give me the 3rd degree, right?"
"Let's just say that he wants to be the bad cop," responded Carol while smiling.
"Great, that means that Richards will be the good cop – lucky me!" said Tony with a rather bitter undertone in his voice.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Hm, I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Nope," Carol looked at her mask in her hand. "But perhaps it helps."
"Well, dear, only one way to find out. I hope you aren't expecting some clever scheme on my part – I just wanted to…" Tony rubbed his temple. Why haven't I a built-in booze-supply in my armour? "I wanted to for a few days stay in a world that hasn't gone to hell. Everything started out so promising, new heroes, Gods even, emerging from every corner of the world. Our future was so bright… but I guess that's what Icarus thought back then: 'Wow, so shiny!' right before he fell from the sky. Some engineer I turned out to be! When the world needed a big brain to think a way out of this Galactus-disaster… I couldn't deliver! All my prattling about how smart I am and yet I wasn't able to save my friends! I was so weak that I couldn't stop Cap from sacrificing himself for NOTHING!" Tony rose from the bedside and started to pace back and forth. "We were barely able to save our world and it took Richards, this murderous bastard, to get it done!"
Carol got up and approached Tony. "I see, that's why you couldn't stand our Reed – let me guess, your Reed Richards thought that he would better the world and somewhere on the way turned into a raving maniac?"
"Something like that, they say that the path to hell is paved with good intentions, but Richards… he committed genocide and took something very precious from me…" Tony felt how a lump formed in his throat when he thought of Anthony. "But do you want to hear the strangest part of it all? Despite all his heinous crimes I sometimes feel like I have abandoned him. Perhaps if I… he was my colleague, my friend even, and sometimes I think he wouldn't have gone down that road if I had been there for him."
"I don't know if I should slap you or hug you, Tony," stated Carol. "You're a smart guy, I guess you know that not everything is your fault or your responsibility."
"Of course, my sweetie, I know, but it doesn't change the regret I'm feeling. And if you ask me – a hug would be fine." Tony gave her his trademark lopsided grin and sincerely hoped that Carol wouldn't slap him again.
Captain Marvel stepped forward and embraced Tony. He inhaled her scent, strangely enough it reminded him of his Carol. Maybe that was just his mind playing tricks on him.
Suddenly he heard how other-Tony stirred. Carol let go of him and went straight to the semi-unconscious man lying in the bed.
"Tony?"
Tony went closer to the bed and heard how other-Tony mumbled: "Need…"
Carol bent over him, her ear next to his mouth. "What?"
"Need… Need Reed…." whispered other-Tony barely audible.
Tony gritted his teeth and rushed out of the room. He found the Avengers and the Fantastic Four right where he had left them. Steve wanted to say something as soon as he saw Tony approaching, but Tony simply waved him off and headed straight to Reed who was still fiddling with his gadget. Sue saw how flustered Tony was and nudged Reed. He looked up, apparently completely surprised to see that he wasn't in his lab. Tony stopped right in front of Richards and spat: "He asks for you!"
Reed didn't even bother to ask who he was talking about, instead he rushed off. Ben Grimm eyed Tony and said: "Ye know, you don't look too happy, T."
Pull yourself together! "What are you talking about, sweetie?" But before the Thing could answer Tony left and returned to the hospital room. When he entered he heard how his counterpart said: "Would you look at that, Reed, I'm not even dead and you already cloned my handsome self! But hey, I can totally understand that…"
Reed stretched himself to the monitors and read the readouts: "You are confused, Tony… don't you remember…"
"Reed, I think Tony made a joke," commented Carol, barely able to hold back her laughter.
Reed looked even more confused than before. "Right, a joke."
Other-Tony tried to sit up, grimacing. "Ouch, you know, this mattress really isn't very soft."
Carol rolled her eyes a little, but she had a fond smile on her face. "Yeah, I bet that's the problem…"
Tony looked from the man in bed to Richards, bending around him, gripping a medical flashlight and shining it into his eyes (he still felt the need to interfere and drag Richards away from this helpless Tony, but he had his reflexes under control, now), to Carol, standing on the other side of the bed, holding other-Tony's hand and looking at him with fond eyes. Not for the first time, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Not only was this Tony sober and in control of his life, he was surrounded by people that apparently really… cared. He thought back to how snappy his Carol had often been with him, and the contrast hurt.
"Reed…"
"Yes, Tony, hold still, I want to check your reflexes…"
"Reed, my reflexes are perfectly fine, could you please stop fussing…"
"Tony, you have been through something, I need to make sure that…"
"REED, I'll show you how fine my reflexes are by kicking you in the head if you don't stop pestering me…"
"Boys, behave" Carol interjected with a chuckle.
Other-Tony sighed. "Reed, my RT is dying, I need a new core installed. That's why I called you, not because I want you fussing over me like I'm one of your kids."
Reed stopped trying to hit a little hammer on other-Tony's knee (his alternate self was artfully dodging all his attempts, leading to Richards repeatedly hitting the duvet). He grimaced.
"Tony, you know I'm no surgeon, I don't want to take that responsibility again… Also, why do you need a replacement, anyways?"
Tony kind of knew what was coming, but before he had a chance to disappear out the door without attracting attention, other-Tony pointed at him. Tony stopped in his tracks. "Because that guy used my old deactivation codes, and while I have shielding against them, the strain of the electromagnetic pulse still managed to irreparably damage the core of the RT unit. If I don't get a replacement soon, I am, surprise, surprise, dying, I bet you never saw that coming."
Everyone looked at him darkly. "Um… sorry?" Tony tried.
Carol and Reed were still glowering, but other-Tony nodded curtly.
"Ok, Reed, you up for it? Tick tock, I am dying, remember."
Reed opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get a word out, Tony blurted: "I don't think you should do it."
Other-Tony shot him an incredulous look. "What?"
"I mean", he hastened to explain, "this whole RT business is nuts. From what I've seen in your database, your whole biology is run by this energy source. Why not have nanites rebuild the nervous system so that it works autonomously again?"
Other-Tony looked interested. "Ah, nanites? You mean like the ones you injected yourself with to give you direct control over your suit?"
Tony smiled. "I see I am not the only one who did some research while in another world. Yes, exactly. I could program them to suit your unique biology."
Reed looked alarmed. He turned to his friend in bed. "Tony, you can't take that risk. We don't even know that guy, for all that he might look like you. We don't know if we can trust him, after all, he did nothing but lie to us…"
"Hey, unfair, I totally didn't lie when I told you I really needed a whiskey!"
What was meant as a joke to lighten the mood apparently gave other-Tony pause. He looked at him appraisingly. Then he sighed. "Maybe you're right, Reed. You have the access codes to my lab, you'll find a new RT…"
"Wait a moment", Tony interrupted. "What was that? Come on, I am you. Who would you trust if not yourself?"
There was something cold in other-Tony's eyes. "Actually, I would trust myself least of all, especially a version of me who drinks."
Tony just gaped at the man in bed for a few seconds. Then he turned around to leave. Only to in the door walk into the broad frame of Captain America. He quickly squeezed past into the corridor.
"Steve, really, I am okay", Tony said for what felt like the hundredth time, but he couldn't stop the warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach at how much Steve seemed to care.
"Fine, Tony? Didn't you just tell me a minute ago you were dying because that idiot deactivated your RT?"
"Well, deactivate is a strong word, considering I am still talking to you, right now, but he damaged it, yes."
Steve looked at him darkly. "We have to hold him responsible for his actions."
Tony sighed. When he had seen the wounded look in the eyes of his other self, he had immediately felt bad for his comment about his alcoholism. But by the time he had opened his mouth to keep Antonio from leaving, Steve had already entered, blocking his view, practically jumping at him to start fussing (really, Reed and Steve were the worst).
"Look, Steve, he had to somehow deactivate my technology, or Doom would have hacked his armour as well, and you know, killing me is preferable to two Tonys killing all of you, right? It's simple math."
Cap looked as if he were about to object, but he didn't get a word out, because Reed suddenly exclaimed: "Fascinating!"
"What?" Carol and Tony asked in unison.
Reed looked up, seemingly confused. "Oh, nothing, it's just this spectrometer that is..."
"Yeah, okay, Reed, thanks for the input. Tony, what did you find out about this Antonio while in his universe?" Steve interrupted. Apparently Steve and Reed didn't really get along, Tony thought fleetingly. Wonder why? He would have to ponder that question another time.
Tony lay back on his pillow. "Well, for one, did you know that we live in utopia? Because compared to his world, we certainly do…"
"What do you mean?" Carol asked, frowning.
"Does 'all his friends are dead or tried to kill him' about cover it? Also, Reed, I think I have to keep a close eye on you from now on. Your alternate self… Yuck, world dominion doesn't suit you, I am telling you."
Reed looked up from the monitors, startled. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you apparently tortured and killed Antonio out of jealousy, or something, I didn't get all of it, and then he brought himself back using the infinity gems."
"WHAT?" exclaimed Reed, Steve and Carol all at the same time. Tony decided not to elaborate. If anything, it was his other self's choice to inform them of what had happened, and so far, Antonio had obviously decided not to do so.
"The infinity gems, fascinating…" murmured Reed. Carol looked stricken, and Steve had grabbed Tony's hand so tightly it almost hurt.
"Steve, I am fine, really" Tony said, smiling. "I am back here, everything is just peachy. But…"
"What but? You should rest, Tony…" Cap said.
"Yes, I know, I probably should. But I think I have to talk to my alternate self. I hope he isn't doing anything stupid" Tony said, with a sigh.
"Stupid? Come on, never, he's you, after all, he can't be prone to stupid actions, can he" Carol said with a wry smile.
xxXXxx
Antonio stood on the roof of the Baxter Building, he stared into the sky quietly humming Sympathy For The Devil to himself. From time to time he took a sip of whiskey from a bottle he held in his left hand. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
Antonio had decided to enjoy his stay as long as possible before he had to go back to his own universe. The very thought of Steve, Carol and even Reed fussing over his alternate self a few levels further down made him bitter, he lifted the bottle of oblivion so that he could read the label and murmured to himself: "To drink or not to drink, that is the question…"
"That quote is not entirely accurate…" said a male voice from behind him. Antonio clenched his teeth the moment he recognised who the speaker was. He turned around slowly and faced Richards who was approaching him, but shortly before he reached him Reed stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes as he registered the booze Antonio was holding in his hand.
"Has anyone told you that you're an insufferable know-it-all, toots?" Antonio remarked coldly before taking another gulp.
"Occasionally," replied Reed equally cold, he put his hands in his white lab coat, then he cleared his throat and continued: "I just wanted you to know that he is going to be alright – the operation went smoothly."
"I… I'm sorry that all this happened," whispered Antonio, suddenly wishing that somebody else but Reed Richards was there on the roof with him. Tears started to well up in his eyes, he let go of the whiskey, the bottle shattered in thousand pieces but Antonio didn't care, he sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands, but he was beyond caring. "It's some kind of curse, it has to be… Everybody I meet… these things happen all the time and I'm responsible!"
Reed stretched his arm and stroked Antonio's head gently. But the hateful glare that Antonio shot at him made Reed retract his hand, not even a socially inept man like him missed the anger that almost distorted Antonio's face in a grimace.
"Don't you dare to console me, Richards!" The fury vanished from his face as fast as it had come. "I… I don't deserve it and it makes me desperate… to know that there is a world like this… and I'm stuck in mine…"
"You don't have to go back, there is no data that supports the thesis that…" began Reed visibly uneasy, but Antonio interrupted him by simply lifting a hand.
"You don't get it… Reed… I'm not stuck in my dimension, I'm stuck in my own personal hell. Even if I stay here I won't become whole again, just seeing you and all the others… it feels like… like I have to literally throw up my own heart." Antonio touched his throat. "I can feel it, my heart is right here… I can't shallow anymore, it's clogging up my respiratory system."
Reed opened his mouth but no sound came out, he closed it again and simply stared at Antiono. "I… I don't know what to say…"
"But I do," said other-Tony, his voice startling Tony out of his misery. He looked weak and panted as he limped with crutches towards Antonio.
"Tony! You shouldn't be out of bed!" exclaimed Reed and stretched his arms to support his friend.
"Yeah, yeah, I know and it's a miracle that I slipped past Nurse Steve – you two are worse than Pepper by the way. But as they say… 'know thyself' and so on. Tony here needs to hear certain things before he goes back to his universe."
Antonio looked up, tears still streaming from his eyes. "Are you gonna tell me that it's in my own hand to find bliss in life? That I should pull myself together?"
"No, I'm not Howard Stark, or Gregory Stark for that matter, I just came to tell you that it will get better. Come what may, Tony Stark is too damn stubborn to give in. We fall, yes, but we always get up again – always."
Antonio snuffled and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Then he rose to his feet and leaned against the handrail, turning his back towards Reed and Tony. "Of course we do, sugar, it's our curse that we can't stop – for better or worse."
In this very moment Steve busted through the roof-top door and yelled: "I gave you an order, Stark! Stay in bed!"
Tony rolled his eyes, but smiled nevertheless as Steve literally dragged him back to the hospital room. Reed looked back and forth between Antonio and Tony, insecurity visibly written all over his face. Antonio watched Reed from the corner of his eyes and simply waved him good-bye. As if he had waited for that signal Reed followed Tony and Steve quickly, leaving Antonio alone.
It took Antonio, Tony and Reed only an hour to recalibrate the portal to Antonio's universe. Carol and Steve stood in the back of the lab, their arms crossed as Reed activated the wormhole inducer.
"Well, take care, and remember, we always get up again" said Tony and hugged his counterpart.
Antonio was surprised. His eyes widened in shock as he could literally see on Reed's face how he thought about copying the gesture, but before he could protest Reed had already wrapped his arms around Antonio.
"Uh, good-bye," stammered Reed.
Carol flew towards him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "You are a dork, but I still like you, Tony, or Antonio, or whatever – and that counts for both of you!" she quickly added and smiled at Tony.
"See you, soldier," said Steve without drawing nearer.
It actually hurt Antonio to see how distant Steve acted towards him (then again, it's not like his Steve had been much nicer towards him, generally), but he still felt Carol's lips on his cheek and smiled one last time at the people surrounding him before stepping through the portal.
In a blink of an eye he was standing in the Baxter Building in his universe, and for the first time he registered how similar Reed's and his Richards' lab were. Since Richards was still imprisoned due to his heinous acts against the Asgardians this lab was powered down. It looked desolate and the realisation that he was now alone again sunk into Antonio's mind. But then something occurred to him, and he was almost surprised at himself.
He made a decision and strode out of the lab with long, determined steps. He went straight to the launch pad and flew to the S.H.I.E.L.D.-prison. Antonio passed all security checks and made his way to a prisoner who was held in isolation, several heavy doors had to open before he stood in front of a reddish cube – multiple force fields were in place to stop the inmate from escaping.
Antonio hesitated shortly before he opened his visor, then he cleared his throat to get the prisoner's attention. The slender young man looked up from the book he was reading, a rather large scar ran across his left eye, giving him the look of a hardened veteran.
"I'm surprised to see you here, Tony," said Reed Richards in a low voice.
Antonio exhaled and took a chair, he sat down right in front of Richards and asked: "Are you up for a game of chess?"