Nineteen
Four weeks passed before Bruce got ahold of me for the needed talk that Cap had mentioned. I told him that my place had been cleared, no S.H.I.E.L.D. surveillance. I really didn't want to leave Lana. She didn't seem to be getting any better. It hurt her to move, she spent most of her time in bed sleeping. I cared for her the best I could. Bruce came to get me from the house. Capsicle and Bruce had chosen a busy restaurant in which to meet.
"Hold on Bruce, I have to finish up changing Lana's bandages." I greeted him at my new main doors. I still hadn't been compensated by S.H.I.E.L.D. Not that I needed it, it's the principle. I led him downstairs where he looked over my drone project.
She was talking in her sleep when I walked in. At first just in mumbles, then sitting up and shouting.
"Kitten!" She shouted pointing at the far wall. "Cup Holder!" She lowered her hand and snuggled back up with her blanket. I laughed quietly. She was smiling as she slept. It had been one of her better dreams and I hated having to wake her. Over the last few weeks, she had quite a few nightmares. I had tried to sooth her back to sleep. Most nights it worked. There had been a few nights I couldn't sooth her. Those nights she had awoken shouting 'Chitauri!'. The dreams seemed painful as she writhed in pain, clutching her chest. When I woke her she refused to talk about, saying it was painful to talk about. The invasion I fought against had hurt my Lana too.
"Lana, sweetie," I cooed rousing her from sleep. "I need to change your bandages."
"Again? Didn't you just do that?" She woke groggily. I gave her a glass of water and some Vicodin that Bruce was able to help with.
"Yes, it's tomorrow already. Same time everyday. Your days are just running together." I softly spoke to her. She had been wearing one of my oversized t-shirts to sleep in. I lifted the edge to remove the old bandage. "I think you need to see someone about this. You don't seem to be getting any better. The incision healed and I've taken out the stitches, but you're still in a lot of pain."
"Thank you for taking care of me." She murmured as I inspected the incision site.
"You're welcome," I said kissing the site and then her lips. "I'm not putting a new bandage on, but if you're still in pain in a week, I'm taking you to a doctor."
"Yes, Dr. Stark." She joked. We sat holding each other, lost in the warmth and love for each other.
"Dr. Stark, I like that. Maybe I should buy a Ph.D. just so you can call me that all the time."
"Tony, we're going to be late." Bruce popped his head into the room.
"Late?" Lana questioned.
"I have a thing with Bruce, Steve and Thor. I'll be back in a little while. Get some rest Lana." I kissed her again before standing to leave.
"I love you." She said, her face suddenly turning red. The first time she'd said it to me. She clearly looked embarrassed about saying it.
"Bruce, give us another minute." Bruce left and closed the door behind him. "I love you, too, Lana. Why are you embarrassed in saying it?" I sat behind her, gathering her into my arms, wrapping my legs around her too. I kissed along her neck and jaw.
"I never thought I'd fall in love again. And because you're friend was there. It just fell out of my mouth." She explained. My hands had worked under her shirt, cupping her breasts. It had been almost two months since we last made love, her injuries and mine preventing it. It was nice having use of my hand again. I had cut the cast off that morning.
"Don't be embarrassed about love. Especially in front of my friends. They say you're good for me. Thor even apologized for his doubts before."
"Thor apologized!" She shouted laughing, before covering her mouth with a hand.
"I know, I thought it was funny too." I smiled into her hair.
"You need to go."
"I know, I don't want to. I want to stay here with you."
"I want you to stay. I have bad feeling, it's like something horrible is going to happen. Your friends need to talk to you. I think it's important."
"I'll be back to cuddle you more, promise. I love you." I climbed out from behind her, repositioning the pillows. "Get some sleep."
"I love you, too. Stay safe."
Bruce and I found the others at a very busy restaurant indeed. I lowered my sunglasses to look around, immediately spotting several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. We ordered our food and waited for the waitress to bring our drinks back.
"Wow!" Steve looked shocked. "You didn't even hit on the waitress or make her blush by ordering some sexual themed drink?"
"So? I can act like a normal person every once in awhile."
"I told you this girl was good for him, he's drinking less, swearing less. Tony, you haven't even been in any tabloids lately." Steve explained to Bruce.
"I'm sitting right here. And I still swear, see. Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck!" I shouted, despite the odd look I got from surrounding tables. "Are we going to talk about our love lives or about this S.H.I.E.L.D. thing?" I watched two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents move to a table closer to us. The sound of chairs being moved behind me and Steve fidgeting with his napkin nervously said the same was happening behind me. I looked at each of my friends and noticed we were surrounded by people trying hard to not look like S.H.I.E.L.D. I swallowed hard.
"Shhhh! Not here, enjoy your lunch and we'll discuss it in a bit."
"Yes, let us talk of the love of our lives!" Thor announced a little loud. I put my head in my hand.
"And how is Jane?" Steve piped up.
"Lady Jane is wonderful! Such a generous lover." Thor leaned his head into his hand and drifted off.
"Too much info there buddy." I face palmed again.
"And your lady Lana, is she as generous a lover?" Thor asked. I turned bright red as Spangles and Bruce laughed at my expense. Fortunately, the waitress brought us our drinks and disturbed the conversation. I really didn't need to be thinking of Thor and Jane like that.
"I was just at Tony's. You should how he dotes on Lana. She really is good for you, Tony." Bruce added his two cents.
"Okay, the next person who says that is getting their ass kicked. Why is the focus on my love life anyway? Don't you guys have girlfriends? Boyfriends?" I gestured to Steve and Bruce.
"No, sorry. The Other Guy prevents me from having relations. Increased heart rate and all that." Bruce spoke. I felt sorry for him not being able to have a normal relationship with another person. I made a mental note to find a girlfriend for Hulk.
"Friend Steve?" Thor addressed.
"No, no. I've been out of the game for so long."
"What about that Maria girl?" Bruce reminded him. "She flirts with you every time when we're on the hellicarrier. You should take her out for coffee or something."
"Maria Hill?" I sputtered.
"Yeah, her." Bruce said. This time Steve turned red.
"Steve has a crush!" I sang, disturbing the restaurant. "Spangles and Maria sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"Stark! Shut up! We're not in grade school." Steve shouted.
"It sure as hell feels like it. Next thing I know we'll be jumping rope and passing notes." I groaned. I wanted to go home. I touched the small charm that still dangled around my neck, thinking of Lana. The table had gone silent and awkward.
"Why didn't anyone invite Natasha or Clint?" Bruce broke the silence. Steve just flickered his eyes to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on either side of him. "Oh."
The food came and we ate in awkward silence. I watched the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents shift nervously around us. One shifted a gun in its hidden holster. Seriously, a gun? I hoped it was for protecting us and not shooting us, because seriously the only person of the four of us it would have any affect on was me. I couldn't get a suit to me in the time it would take that agent to draw and fire.
"Any sightings of Loki?" I finally broken the awkwardness.
"No, my brother has disappeared again. I believe the Hawk injured him greatly." Thor sighed. He obviously loves his little brother.
"The tracking beacon hasn't moved in over a month. Clint still thinks he's hidden somewhere in your place, Tony." Steve added.
"I haven't noticed anyone aside from Lana and myself. Nothing strange going on either."
"That leads me to my other theory. That Loki managed to get the barbed arrowhead out of his side and hid it somewhere in your house to throw us off of what he's really doing." Steve continued.
"When I get home I'll have Jarvis start a search for it. Thor, what do you think he is doing?"
"My brother is hard to predict, but I believe he is back to his childish pranks. Probably tricking some poor mortal into doing his bidding." Thor spoke and then shoved a large piece of steak in his mouth. I couldn't help but to imagine Loki as I saw him in my dreams. Tall, shirtless, commanding. I shook my head of the image.
"Changing the subject again, does anyone know anything about this classified threat that I'm building drones for?"
"Is that what those were?" Bruce wondered aloud. "Doesn't anyone remember that horrible Hammer Drone incident?"
"Yeah, I was there big and green. These will be better. They're Stark Drones." I smirked.
"I don't have a name, but some megalomaniac with a robot army." Steve said with a shrug. I flagged the waitress down for more soda. She ran off to get us more.
"This I don't believe! Tony, you didn't even watch her ass as she walked off." Bruce smacked me in the arm.
"And obviously you did." I said sarcastically
"Hello, sex deprived."
"That's no excuse I haven't fucked in two months." I really wasn't watching what I was saying. I was watching the surroundings. Every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent were holding their ear pieces and suddenly leaving.
"What do you mean? Is Lana not generous lover in bed?" Thor spoke.
"Thor, doth mother ever tell you to keep thine nose out of other people's business? Steve is this your plan?" I brought everyone's attention to the now empty restaurant.
"No, but it'll do." Steve was suddenly more fidgety. "Something is happening within S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't know how the describe it, but I need to know you guys have my back." He said quickly.
"Ok, we need details." Bruce urged him on.
"Files are being transferred at an alarming rate, everyone is a little more secretive. Something's not right." I could see worry in his eyes as he spoke. "I wanted to hear from you guys that if something happens to S.H.I.E.L.D. there will be someone to protect the world should something like what happened in New York happens again."
"I shall protect Midgard. I have no allegiance with S.H.I.E.L.D. My promise is to Midgard." Thor spoke.
"I don't think the Other Guy cares who he's smashing."
"I've never cared for S.H.I.E.L.D. More so, they keep invading my life to harass me and Lana. I'd protect her for anything. I'm in." I confessed.
"Good, start with these files I downloaded. See if you can find anything that may say what is happening." Steve threw a little flash drive at me.
"You? Downloaded these?" I teased him.
"I've been watching Natasha." He shrugged. Suddenly all our phones started chirping. Well, except for Thor. After the last one that he threw against a wall, he wasn't granted with another one. It was Barton, he texted that Loki was on the move. Well, that shot down Steve's theory. Apparently Loki had taken refuge in my house. Made me glad that I really haven't done anything embarrassing in the last month. Well, maybe walking around the house naked to lift Lana's spirits. I felt my face glow red again.
"Well, Thor. I think we found your brother. I guess I can give everyone a lift to my house." I gestured to the door.
"Where? Where is my brother?" He demanded.
"My house, apparently."
I drove back to the house trying to block out Steve's back seat driving, Thor's demands to drive faster and his and Bruce's argument about why we shouldn't give Thor a cell phone. I pulled in the drive and slammed on the brakes.
"What the fuck is this shit?" I jumped out of the car screaming. My house was swarming, once again, with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The front doors broken down, again. I ran inside, everything torn open and thrown around.
"Lana! Lana!" I shouted going from room to room. I grabbed an agent and shook him by the shoulders. " Where is Lana?"
"I don't know." He shuddered. I think he may have peed himself.
"There was no one here when we arrived." Someone spoke.
"And who the fuck are you?"
"Agent John Garrett, S.H.I.E.L.D. I led the task force to find Loki. The signal has gone dark again."
"Then get the fuck out of my house." I ordered. "If you do not remove everyone from my property, I'll…"
"You'll do what?" He dared me.
"I'll sick Hulk on you." At that moment, Hulk's massive green face peered through the door, smiling ear to ear at the thought of smashing. It was amazing how fast S.H.I.E.L.D. packed up and left my broken house.
My house was in a sad state. S.H.I.E.L.D. had torn everything open looking for Loki. And my Lana was gone. Either Loki kidnapped her to play against me later or S.H.I.E.L.D. had her and wasn't telling me. I sat on the floor in the middle of the chaos. I sat and started to cry. I haven't cried since my parents funeral, and then it was mostly for my mother. I felt lost and alone. I grabbed the charm out from in my shirt and repeatedly rubbed my thumb over the snake design, wishing her to be here with me. Thor knelt down next to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"We'll find her." Thor said.
"I agree, but let's first sort through the house. Look for any sign of what happened to her." Cap took charge. "It's just the three of us, as Hulk is standing guard over the house. Has Lana ever just disappeared before?"
"Yes, a couple of times, but she was in no condition to leave this time. I think she was septic from her surgery." I wiped my tears on my sleeve.
"Does she stay in touch while she's gone? Phone calls? Emails?"
"She usually leaves notes."
"Texts?"
"No, hand written notes. The last one I got was tacked to the outside of the main doors."
"Ok, Thor and I will search up here, you go to your lab. Anyone finds anything, yell."
I stumbled downstairs, but not before grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels out from behind the bar. I started drinking straight from the bottle.
"Jarvis! Did Lana leave of her accord?" I spoke to the AI. No answer. "Jarvis?" The computer had been disabled to breach the house. I was wondering why there wasn't more dead S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Or any dead S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. I stepped over the broken glass door to my lab. I stood slack jawed at the disaster. Months of work down the drain. S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't just looking for Loki, they used it as an excuse to destroy anything I was working on. Jarvis wasn't just disabled, the hub that housed all of his circuitry was in pieces. Smashed open. The Ironman suit, smashed, wires hanging out of pieces. I threw the bedroom door open. No Lana. The sheets were blood soaked.
I slumped down on the floor, drank from the bottle and openly wept. S.H.I.E.L.D. had destroyed everything. They took my goddess, my beautiful raven haired goddess. They ransacked my home. They destroyed my work. I wanted to drink myself to oblivion. I vowed revenge on S.H.I.E.L.D. I threw the half full bottle at the wall. It broke in a shower of glass.
"Tony! Is everything all right down there? Did you find anything?" Steve shouted. When I didn't answer, Thor and Steve came running down the stairs.
"By the Allfather. What happened here?" Thor exclaimed.
"Tony?" Steve called. "Oh, Tony. This isn't your fault."
"It is. I couldn't protect her." I sobbed.
"Look, let's get you out of here. We can come back tomorrow and try to piece together what happened." Steve knelt beside me, trying to get me to stand.
"You were right. Listen to me, Steve Rogers was right. The S.H.I.E.L.D. my father helped form wouldn't have done this."
"What do you mean?"
"They've destroyed everything. My suit, Jarvis, my life. This isn't S.H.I.E.L.D."
"We need to get you out of here. Thor, help me." Cap grabbed one arm and Thor, the other. Either man could've just picked me up, but I think they were letting me have some dignity. As they stood me on shaky legs, a piece of paper was stuck to my left hand with Lana's blood. I unstuck it curiously, as I don't keep too much paper in the house. I looked it over, there was writing. It had my name on it.
"Guys!" I yelled. "A note, the note!"
"Read it, so we may know your Lady Lana is safe." Thor exclaimed giddy as a school girl.
"Dearest Tony," I read aloud. "I'm going to the hospital. I started bleeding again. Don't worry, I'll be fine. As soon as this is under control, I'll be back in your arms. I do have a bad feeling about your meeting today. Take precautions. Something bad is about to happen. I love you more than you'll ever know. Lana."
"Your lady is safe!" Thor shook me.
"But which hospital?" Steve asked.
"I don't know, which is why I need to put Jarvis back together. I think she's right about something bad about to happen. She warned me before I left the house earlier. Before all this happened." I gestured to the wreckage around me.
"If you're saying this isn't like S.H.I.E.L.D., maybe something's going on. You put Jarvis together and find Lana. If you get a moment look at that flash drive, it may have some answers on it. Thor, make sure Jane is safe. I'll have Bruce watch over Natasha and Clint."
"And what are you going to do?" I asked.
"I'm going to talk to Fury. Tony, keep in touch, I think we may be the only good guys left."
Captain America and Thor left. I had a glimmer of hope. Lana was alive! I looked over her note again. She had signed her last name. It was smeared with blood, so I hadn't read it aloud. But looking at it again, I thought I could read it. Laufeyson. Lana Laufeyson.