Hey ya'll, here's another chapter for you! I hope you like it! We're about to get into some awesome action stuff, which is going to be so much fun! Rogue is in the next chapter finally (I know, I said that ages ago, and I'm sorry, but this time it's true!) Also, I think I've decided to tell you about what happened to me.
When I went to Las Vegas last week, I met a guy, we had some drinks, we went to his hotel room, and to make a long story short, I said no, and he didn't listen. You should know that you always have the right to say no, it's been really hard for me lately, I'm getting into counseling for it, and I'm calling the rape crisis hotline a lot, but I still lock my door to my room when I sleep and keep my windows closed at night, even though it's been pushing 100+ degrees at night. I can't go to the grocery store after dark anymore and I can't stop reliving it... I'm sorry to unload all of this on you guys, but I think you understand me when I say you always imagine it as one of those things that happens to other people, but it never happens to you, well, it happened to me. I wasn't expecting it at all, and now that it's happened, I feel like a completely different person. Everyone keeps telling me it's not my fault what happened, and I understand that, but it doesn't change the feeling. So anyways, what I'm trying to tell you, all of you, is that you have the right to say no, and to enforce no if the other person doesn't want you to say no. I wish that I had enforced no, rather than spending the next day driving all over an unfamiliar town looking for the Plan B pill. The only thing that's distracted me is working on this story a little bit, and watching Firefly. I had just stared watching Firefly before it happened, and when I came back I just threw myself in the show because it made me feel normal, and made me think back to before this happened. I'll be updating the story soon after this, we're getting pretty close to the end.
Disclaimer: Still don't own Marvel.
"Are my babies okay?" Dallas asked when he got to the building we were using that belonged to Felipe's company.
"They're fine, they're at the school upstate, and they'll be safe there." I nodded and he sighed before he held up a few bags of covered clothes.
"Okay, Mr. Stark, you're lucky Minnie told me Captain Rhodes' password to your penthouse, I was able to get you a tux, a watch, shoes-"
"You do realize he'll be in the Armor, right?"
"Well he'll look damn good underneath it." he snapped at Bruce who held up his hands in surrender.
"Baby, Dallas is stressed." I said to Bruce who nodded.
"Yeah I got that." he said softly.
"Okay, Pep, honey, I found the cutest dress ever in your closet, shoes, jewelry, everything." he said as he handed her a dress bag and a shoe box. "Okay, so Natasha, I know you can kick butt wearing whatever is lucky enough to be put on your kick butt bod, so here's a fabulous dress for you, shoes, etc." he said as he handed a dress to her. "Alright, I have suits for everyone, Minnie, you owe me big time, I literally make Alexander cry." he said pointing to me. I laughed and shook my head.
"Alexander deserves it." I said and he shrugged but nodded his head in agreement.
"So, tell me something, if you're expecting to have to fight these guys, why is everyone suiting up, rather then... Well, your version of suiting up?" he asked and I smiled lightly.
"Well, Tony is." I said and he laughed.
"I mean, I get the whole black tie thing, but, aren't you guys scared of people recognizing you?"
"If you act like you belong at these things, people generally don't notice you." Natasha said.
"And you're getting in through the roof?" Dallas asked and I shook my head.
"No, Tony, Thor and Hawkeye are getting in through the roof, we're going in from the other direction." I explained.
"The garage!" he nodded. "Of course."
"And Pepper is our distraction." I said as I put a hand on her shoulder.
"Wait, how does that work?"
"Pepper is going to show up, in a limousine, and walk right in the front door. She's going to talk to the press, and tell them that we've been in Dubai and that we're still there, but that she was in town for business, seeing as she's still involved in the business. As of this afternoon the entire world thinks we're dead, and since by now Norman knows we not only have Dr. Fleischer, but his children as well, to find out we're still alive, and have been in "Dubai"," I said as I used air quotes. "Norman's going to shit a brick." I grinned and he sighed as he shook his head.
"You evil devious woman," he said with a grin before he kissed me quickly. "I love you so much!" he sighed with an amused smile, before he quickly waved his hands at us. "Go, go, get ready!" he said and I rolled my eyes.
"What is this place anyway?" I asked as Dallas handed me a dress bag and a shoe box.
"It's business lodging for Felipe's family's companies, their partners and businessmen who are in town for a very short time stay here for the most part." he said as he pointed out different rooms for people to get ready in. "Come along Cordelia." he said as he linked my arm through his.
We got to a room and he went to work on my hair, curling it, then brushing it out and twisting it into a curly bun. I was given a floor length teal dress made of satin with a single sleeve over my left shoulder. It fit well over my chest down to my hips, but hung loose over my legs, where I wore a pair of knee length leggings that no one would see. I wore a pair of lace black flats and wore a minimal amount of makeup, without gloves.
If this was going to be a party full of the enemy, I would be making damn sure that I would be as deadly as possible. When Dallas finished he looked at me for a long time and sighed. "This is my best look yet." he said and I looked at him.
"I never understood why you went into Stark Industries rather than going to cosmetology school." I said and he rolled his eyes.
"Why pay someone to teach me what I already know? Besides, I like to do this, you don't go to school to do the things you like." he said as he shook his head. "Besides, Stark Industries had something cosmetology school didn't have."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, Tony Stark." he said with a scoff and I laughed. There was a light knock on the door and Dallas looked at me before he got up and opened it. I smiled seeing Bruce as I stood up.
"I forgot how good you look in a suit." I said as I walked over to him and he smiled lightly as he lightly brushed a loose strand of hair from my face.
"You ready?" he asked and I nodded.
"Dallas is going to be there to help Pepper with whatever we need. I'm sure Norman will be trying to shut down Jarvis and trying to cut off any help we may have, but we'll have more help than we planned for." I smiled and he nodded as he looked at Dallas who was calmly putting things away.
"You sure you want to get involved?" he asked Dallas who looked over at him.
"Love bug, I have always been involved. But if you're asking me if I want to stay involved, even though there's no knowing what's going to happen next, then yeah, I'm staying involved." he said and Bruce nodded. His phone buzzed and he looked at it before looking up. "Happy is here with your car. You guys go ahead, I'll see you there." he smiled and we nodded before leaving. Bruce put his hand on my lower back as we walked down the hall, to where everyone else was waiting.
The vigil had started almost as soon as the President's speech ended, people from all over New York, and Jersey started showing up with candles, stuffed animals, pictures, posters and flowers and started laying them down outside of Stark Tower, at first Norman's security guards tried keeping them away, making them leave, but the people were persistent.
After that, the protesters started showing up, laying down flowers for the fallen Avengers, and taking up picket signs with phrases against HAMMER and Oscorp. Some even had Anti- Hydra posters. As the day went on their numbers grew, and when the police were brought in to hold the groups back while Norman's guests showed up at Stark Tower, the people grew angry, shouting about how it was wrong to throw a party on that day, which was true, however it seemed to fuel Norman's love of being the center of attention.
Reporters had shown up from all over the world to cover that night, and now they had another thing to focus on, everyone who came to the party was asked how they felt knowing they were supporting the man responsible for ordering the attack that had allegedly killed the Avengers.
The real high point of the evening was when most of Norman's guests had arrived, as had Norman himself, via helicopter and landed on the roof before taking an elevator down to the party, not acknowledging the press or the public, which caused an outrage among the people; the high point had come when a familiar to the press town car pulled up and the familiar driver and bodyguard of Tony Stark got out of the car and opened the back door to reveal the always beautiful, and looking particularly lovely in her long white dress with a square neckline, her hair done up beautifully, and her makeup flawless, while she smiled brightly at all of the photographers as she got out of the car. Happy helped her out and handed the keys to a valet before walking behind her as she walked over to a group of reporters, one of which being Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair.
"Mrs. Stark, Mrs. Stark!" people were shouting at her, but she locked eyes with Christine who smiled. Though the girls had shared words over the years and never particularly liked each other, they respected each other for what the other had done, both for Tony. Christine had shown Tony the truth behind Obadiah Stane, and Pepper had always been there for him, and loved him unconditionally, which was something Tony had always needed.
"Mrs. Stark," Christine said as Pepper walked over to her, all the other reporters growing quiet. "Have you anything to say regarding the President's speech this afternoon?"
"Yes I do," Pepper smiled. "We thank the president for his support, and we would like to address the comments regarding the death of the Avengers. Many good people were lost in that unfortunate attack upon the base, however, we weren't there." she said and people started chattering. "When Mr. Osborn started harassing Tony, and our company we decided it would be best to step away from what was happening. We did not support the Registration Act, and when his health started failing a little there, our doctors thought it would be best for my husband to be moved somewhere less stressful for a time so he could heal in peace. Truth be told, Mr. Osborn was the reason we left, his continuing harassment of us and our family and friends was too much, so we took some time and went to Dubai." she said and Christine smiled lightly as if she didn't entirely believe it, but wasn't going to call Pepper out on it.
"What kind of health problems was Tony- Mr. Stark suffering from?"
"He had been in a car accident, he needed time to heal." Pepper said easily.
"So all of the Avengers are fine?" one reporter next to Christine asked, trying to shove his microphone in Pepper's face. She shot him a look, but nodded all the same.
"They're all fine. A little annoyed at what's happened with them gone, but alive and quite well." she smiled.
"And why are you here tonight?" Christine asked making Pepper scoff lightly.
"Well, the ceremony is being held at Stark Tower, which is one of the Stark Industries buildings, and seeing as I'm a Stark, there should be someone here to represent." she replied and Christine raised an eyebrow.
"Should we expect to see Mr. Stark tonight?" she asked and Pepper sighed.
"Oh you know Tony," she said with a smile. "You never know what to expect with him." she gave Christine a look and Christine smiled lightly before clearing her throat.
"Thank you for your time Mrs. Stark." she said and Pepper nodded before she nodded to Happy and the two walked inside.
"Mr. President," Davis Greggory walked into the Oval Office where the President was working. "There's someone here to see you sir."
"At this hour?" the president asked looking at the small clock on his desk.
"Yes sir, I think you'll want to talk to him. He says his name is Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD."
"Let him in." the president said quickly. He stood up as Nicky Fury walked in, and instantly felt semi intimidated, but extended his hand nonetheless. "Director Fury," he said as he shook the man's hand. "It's an honor to meet you sir, I was afraid that the-"
"No, the Abomination didn't get me. I was in a safe house at the time. According to reports, I died weeks ago." he said and the president frowned.
"Well if you died weeks ago, who's been running SHIELD?"
"That's been up to a few people, Agent Coulson, one of my best men, and Mrs. Banner, the granddaughter of one of our founders, and a good agent. But enough about that, that's not why I'm here."
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here to talk to you about the Words Security Council, Norman Osborn, and the Avengers." he said and the President looked interested.
"What about them?" he asked and a woman wearing a tight blue uniform walked in and handed Director Fury a file.
"I think we can help." Fury said as he handed the file over to the president.
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