Once he got home Tony put away the parts of the alien substance he was able to pilfer before SHIELD got to it, taking it away was easier than he thought it'd be. They didn't get mad at him for taking any, Coulson only asked he give his findings to Fury. It made him both uneasy and relived. He really thought they'd give him a hassle over it but instead didn't seem to mind. Oh well, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
After that was done he had an extra hot shower and ordered donuts having already called everyone to gather when he was in the jet. He had napped on the plane and only got his second wind after downing two cups of coffee, even then he was still feeling groggy. Now he could've waited for a day or two to recover but knew Pepper had no current meetings and wasn't booked for a flight for at least two more days so it was today or nothing and Rhodey wasn't doing anything major for at least a week.
Getting the whole crew to gather at the same time was a chore in and of itself but luck was with him. He placed down snacks and made their favorite drinks, spiked of coursed, it was a conversation meant to be taken with drinks after all. So when they arrived they weren't sure what to make of it. This setting typically meant he did something horrible and was asking for their forgiveness or he was just being spontaneous.
He only smiled at them and ushered them to relax. He chatted and caught up and they were happy to follow along even if they were waiting for the shoe to drop, once their stress levels for the day were gone did he decide to break the news to them.
Tony stood with his back to them and spoke in a solemn tone,
"I've gathered you all here to tell you something of greatest imaginings. To tell you the stores were true," Hand pumped up into a fist, "Alien life exists!"
Finishing with a whirl to face them dramatically, they had faces of varying perplexity but accepting that Tony as in a mood.
"Is this another long spiel to get us to binge on sci-fi movies again?"
Rhodey asked a small smile tugging at his lips, crumbs belligerently attached thanks to a particularly sugary donut, Tony rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sorry to say it's real this time, just got back from New Mexico with Bruce. Guess what he fought?" Their blank faces blinked back at him. "An alien! Though he did call himself Thor so…"
Rhodey and Happy burst out laughing, Pepper, the only one not guffawing was the one to ask,
"Thor as in the God of Thunder?" Tony nodded excitedly.
"If you don't believe me do you want me to call up master spy Fury himself or better yet Bruce?" The light of playing along didn't quite go away but they were realizing just how far Tony would go for what they thought was a charade.
"Sure Tony, bring Bruce down here I've been meaning to meet him anyway." Pepper added with a bland smile, it occurred to him that she might get along with a certain Mr. Agent and he realized something worse, they had already met. The horrors. When Happy perked up vocally agreeing, Tony held up his hand to his ear and mock listened to Bruce.
"Aw, too bad Bruce says that if I can't convince you guys that's on me. Party pooper." At Pepper's faintly disappointed look Tony quickly backtracked, "It's not that he doesn't want to say hi Peps he's just recuperating he got hit pretty good." At this Rhodey's eyes flashed,
"Is he okay?" Tony gave him an energetic thumbs up, "Nothing some rest and relaxation wont cure!"
With a small frown Pepper asked, "Is he telling the truth JARVIS?"
With a tone that was far too smug his AI replied, "Both Sir and Sir Bruce are in good health Ms. Potts."
Pepper gave Tony a sheepish smile while Rhodey was seen leaning back into his chair appeased. No one believed him half as much as they did JARVIS. Feeling like things were getting off track he exclaimed,
"Is there nothing I can say that will sway you lights of my life?"
Happy grinned chewing on his donut, "Nah."
Pepper hid her smile with her palm, "Sorry Tony, it is a little far fetched." Tony thought back to some of his more wild lies to lighten the mood or move a party and sighed. Turning as if to walk away morosely.
"Guess that mean you don't want to see the video of Bruce fighting an alien and the arrival of Thor himself… It's okay. I understand." Smiling at the suddenly excited clamor behind him, "Ha! I knew you'd see it my way, behold! JAR baby, play the clip!"
From the way Rhodes was glancing at him as the video from his helmet played Tony got the impression his fellow pilot knew who was really fighting the thing and Tony only nodded with a smirk. Oh yeah, that was all him. More so than usual actually. Huh. Flashing Rhodes one more grin he thought, he was totally beating his bud in terms of how many wackadoodles he fought in the suit.
It was right where Thor got up in all his glory that Pepper gasped, Happy blinked and Rhodey leaned closer. Tony had cut out the part where Thor got slapped away like a rag-doll, they didn't need to see that. If they all knew it was him piloting the suit he'd show it but somehow he didn't want them to think or at least Pepper to think Bruce would get a guy killed. Even he wasn't sure exactly why, Thor obviously didn't die but still…
He wanted Pepper to have a good impression before he broke the news as he would have to eventually. Boy would she not take his going out in the suit well, no sir. At least now that he had proof aliens, for that's what Thor was, existed then she'd be able to believe shared consciousness with another person was possible right? One could hope.
When the video ended and everyone sat with their respective thoughts Tony thought it wise to bring up another factor he was meaning to explain.
"You know the Tower I've been working on in New York? Besides being the first to run solely on clean energy, well I was thinking that could be a place for people with some interesting skill sets."
He pulled up a quick projection of Dr. Foster and another Doctor.
"Dr. Banner when I get him on my side would be a great start along with anybody who could specialize in space or protecting this nice little earth we have. Cause if we got aliens we got problems ahead, I know it." His friends were watching him with attentive if flushed faces, having long since added more alcohol to their drinks.
"Fury's got the right idea but I can do one better. After all would you want to work with me," He gestured towards his glorious face, "The creator of Iron Man the one whom he follows, philanthropist and billionaire extraordinaire, with nice state of the art utilities and paycheque? Or Mr. Secrets himself who may or may not be affiliated with the government, shady with a capital S and will give you work to do with none of the benefits, I think the answer is clear."
Placing her drink down, Pepper shook her head, "Be that as it may Tony, how can you be sure people like that exist and would want to help?"
Tony beams at them, "I can't but I can make it really hard to choose otherwise." He handed them each a blueprint for the StarkPhone (name pending), "let JARVIS show you what being with me will get ya."
As JARVIS dazzled them with all the features a phone made by him could do they would later spend a long time going over details in the Tower's blueprints and how their expertise and unique viewpoints would help shape the future. Tony may have created it before with some input from Bruce and made adjustments whenever he saw fit but it was always something he intended for his friends to help him with. Currently constructors were working on the bare bones so all he had to do was cement any last minute details now while it was still in its beginning stages.
Pepper would make it a place people would actually want to live in, both Rhodey and Happy would make the security better and between the lot of them find any loop holes Tony didn't perceive on his own. With his friends behind him and their understanding of what the Tower would ultimately be for, a place for people who would help him protect everything and in cases like Banner to be protected, Tony was feeling hopeful.
With Bruce in the background pitching in only when Tony asked his opinion or if something they missed made him annoyed. Much later after dinner and everyone was winding down he walked over to the minibar and refilled his drink he didn't need Bruce's dark presence to tell him things could go pear-shaped fast but he would do everything he could to make things easier.