Awakening

Well, this would've been up Friday but I babysat all day, then was out of town all Saturday, and then the internet wasn't loading Sunday. So...yeah.

Anyway, hope you all enjoy the chapter, and are happy with Emerson's fate.

On with the show!

Third POV

Tony's eye twitched, and Nick gulped as righteous fury appeared in Tony's eyes.

"Excuse me?" Tony asked slowly, his voice practically ice and dripping snark. "No, you didn't just threaten my daughter; see, that would be a very bad idea. In fact, it would be such a bad idea that the worst scenario your lacking imagination could come up with wouldn't even compare."

Tony's grin suddenly became manic as he stepped forward. His eyes alight with a fiery glint that honestly scared Fury and caused shivers to go up the spine of every council member.

"Threatening my daughter would basically mean that you sign over your life to every single over powered being in this universe. You wouldn't even survive long enough to regret it." Tony paused, tilting his head to the side in a manner than made him seem completely mad.
Fury was honestly extremely concerned for the man. He had never seen Stark like this before, and none of the Council had seen a side even similar to this.

Basically, Emerson was screwed and it was quickly becoming obvious to the others 'in' the room.

"You can't do anything to me!" Emerson yelled, his face white but his pride was blinding him to the trouble he was actually in. "I have thought this out, planned so far a head that even you couldn't stop the information regarding your freaky little brat from leaking to every news source on the globe! You may think you can control the world, but I have you beat here! You have finally met your better!"

Emerson cackled hysterically and everyone watching realized that the man was even more insane than Tony; and considering the look currently on the man's face, it was slightly hard to believe.

"My better?" Tony echoed slowly, his head titling to the side once again. His voice became almost soft as he continued talking, and Fury's worry for the man was steadily growing. "No, a better man than I wouldn't have threatened my daughter. I better man than I wouldn't have ignored the warning of one of the most powerful men on this earth. No. You are not the better man Emerson." Tony's eyes suddenly hardened like ships of titanium.

"But then again, I've never claimed to be a good man."

At that announcement, Fury, Hawley, Rockwell, Yen, and Singh all jumped as the lights in Emerson's office went dead.

"Hey!" Emerson exclaimed, and everyone was just able to see the outline of the man standing up before something knocked him back, out of the screen.

"No, wait, stop! You can't do this!" Fury looked over at Tony, the practically sobbing tone of the man saying more than words. Fury's blood turned to ice as he saw the disinterested, practically bored look on Tony's face, barely hiding the malicious glee in his eyes.

"We warned you before Emerson." Tony spoke softly but Jarvis caused his voice to echo through everyone's speakers. His voice was amplified by ten on Emerson's end.

"You don't mess with Starks." Jarvis' voice accompanied Tony's in echoing through all of the speakers. Hawley was shaking as Emerson's dark screen, barely showing the outline of his chair, crackled. "There is nothing beyond our reach."

Emerson's screen died and a small but dark smirk played on Tony's lips. "Contemplate that."

On the others side of the world, a dark blue and black painted Iron Man suit took off into the sky. It was visible for just a moment before it's invisibility field flickered into place, shielding it from any prying eyes.

Without turning or saying a word, Tony's stone cold mask slipped back on; though his eyes remained small, glinted chips of fury.

"I do hope that you four won't make the same mistakes as your previous council member." Tony spoke softly but every word was as clear as ice, and just as hard.

"No sir," Yen said, speaking for the first time. "I believe the message has been delivered."

There were three other nodding heads as Tony dipped his head just slightly in acknowledgment.

"See to it that I never have to speak with any of you again. Or you might not like the consequences."

With that, Tony's hologram vanished. Leaving four very shaken WSC members alone with Fury, who appeared to be way more composed than he actually was.

"And that people," Fury said, finally breaking the tense silence that had filled the room. "Is what happens when someone crosses the most powerful mortal man in existence."

Fury paused, thinking about it for a moment, before continuing. "And that is without the assistance of his freaky daughter and her very powerful friends."

Fury spun on his heel and stalked out of the conference room. He wanted to make sure that his pseudo godson and great goddaughter were alright.

He didn't even pause before throwing over his shoulder, "You might want to find someone to replace Emerson soon though. Hopefully someone with a more common sense and self preservation."

The doors closed behind Nick with a slam, and at that, Jarvis ended the conference call and turned off the lights. He triple checked that no recording of the meeting had been made. Jarvis would protect the people he viewed as his family, just as they would he.

With was with a weary sigh Tony stepped back and almost collapsed into his desk chair. He couldn't believe how stupid Emerson was, and he couldn't believe that he had lost control like that.

But at the same time he didn't regret what he did. He would protect his daughter no matter what happened. She had been his saving grace, and he couldn't let anything happen to her.

"Jarvis…" Tony said slowly as he took a deep breath and settled behind his more normal, calm mask.

"Everything has been taken care of, Sir." Jarvis responded instantly, as Dummy and U rolled up to their creator, beeping and whirling in comfort.

"Good boys." Tony muttered, silently reassuring the bots that he was ok as he turned on his heel.

Only to freeze as he spotted Rogers, Barton, Romanoff, Thor and Bruce all standing in front of the lab door.

Continuing on almost instantly with simply a blink, Tony said to Jarvis, "Don't disturb me for anything less than Level Thirteen crisis."

There were only two things that would be considered a Level Thirteen crisis: pending global destruction, or a threat to either Pepper's or Penny's well being.

"Of course, Sir." Jarvis said swiftly, knowing that his creator/father needed time to get his head on straight, to reassure his heart and mind that everything was alright.

Tony didn't even look at his team as he pushed through them. Rogers opened his mouth to say something, but as if sensing the coming question, Tony just said, "Just don't. Just….don't."

The billionaire genius vanished up the stairs, only a small, tiny part of his brain consumed with just how much his team had seen and heard.

The rest of him really didn't care.

"You could've killed people, you could've hurt someone." Mortem said softly as he and his new awakened and calmed Bonded sat atop Stark Tower.

"I know." E're replied absently, stroking Fawkes' soft plumage. The phoenix had been singing to her while being perched on her chest when she had awoken, and had yet to leave her alone.

"...this is the reason why Immortals are usually forbidden from directly interfering in the Mortal realms."

"I know that too." She sighed as she looked out over the city, still stroking Fawkes' feathers. Her chest was tight with guilt and worry. Not only regarding her loss of control, but also what that might mean in the future.

A long, heavy silence stretched on between the two Bonded as the sounds of traffic and humans bustling about attempted to sooth the younger Immortal's worries.

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked her Bonded, trying not to blink back tears. She knew what would happen if she ever truely lost control. She knew what would happen if Fati, in an attempt to End her, ever let loose her full power. She knew that she couldn't survive without the people in this world. But, she also knew that she wouldn't be able to stay.

"That," Mortem sighed as he wrapped his arms around the red head and pulled her close. "Isn't something that I know that answer to."

She nodded slowly, snuggling deeper into Death's embrace as Fawkes jumped into the air and started another song. She just wanted to know that everything was going to turn out alright.

"That isn't something I know either." Mortem whispered through the Bond, showing that E're was projecting again. "But for your sake, love….I really wish I did."

"Tony?" Pepper asked hesitantly as she walked into their bedroom. Bruce and Fury had both called her, telling the older redhead that the billionaire needed her; but neither sharing any details.

She knew something had happened, she wasn't as blind as some people believed her to be. But she also knew better to push Tony for answers when he wasn't able to give them; and when she spotted his hunched figure leaning against the open window, Pepper adknowledged that she wasn't getting any answers out of her boyfriend.

"Oh, Tony." Pepper sighed as she wrapped her arms around his slumped form, pressing her cheek against his shoulder as she gave him a sideways hug. "Everything'll be alright."

"You don't know that." Tony's broken whisper almost crushed her heart right there and then. She wanted to ask what had happened, she wanted to be able to help fix whatever damage had been done, but Pepper just didn't know how.

So she hugged him tighter, praying to whatever god(s) that existed that what ever had happened wouldn't break the man she loved.

"No," Pepper finally admitted as she turned her gaze out of the window. "But that's why hope exists. To help us move forward even when we don't know what lies ahead."

Pepper bit her lip as Tony said nothing, and the silence stretched on. Her stomach churned with worry, and she was just about to physically turn him around when he did so under his own power and swept her up into a proper hug.

"I knew there was a reason I love you so." He whispered into her hair, and for a moment, Pepper thought about responding with a cheeky reply.

But she knew that it wasn't the time nor the place. Instead she simply gripped him tighter and said, "I love you too, Tony; and nothing will ever change that."

Little did she know, was that she said exactly what Tony needed to hear.

Almost an hour later, the door to Penny's bedroom slid open, revealing a much more composed Tony standing in the doorway. Penny was lounging on her bed, her golden violin in hand, plucking away at the strings absentmindedly. Mortem had literally just vanished, his Duties calling him away, knowing that his lost in thought Bonded would be safe in the hands of her father.

"Penny?" Tony called softly, his heart almost aching at the sight of his daughter looking as lost as he felt.

"Hmm?" She responded absently, though she did look at up him when Tony sat at the foot of her bed.

"I think we need to talk about what happened today." Tony spoke slowly, but even so he couldn't help but cringe as Penny flinched.

"No, not that." Tony soothed the 'teenager', almost smiling as the girl relaxed. "I wanted to talk to you about something different."

Slowly, as if she was emerging from a deep sleep, Penny put down the violin and finally made eye contact with her father.

"Talk about what?" She asked, her voice soft but heavy; reflecting her thoughts.

Taking deep breath and checking his resolve, Tony started.

"Penny...I don't care why you got so angry. I did at the time, in fact, I was angry myself at the time. But after Mortem took you away...Emerson threatened you." Penny's green eyes sharpened and narrowed at the same time. Wondering what her father had done. "Suddenly I was the one who lost control; and I realized something.

"We're both brilliant, eccentric, billionaires...who are more than a little unstable."

Penny opened her mouth to protest, but a whisper from Mortem through the Bond caused her to pause then nod slowly.

"But," Tony held up a hand to make sure that Penny didn't say anything, "we are also more than capable of taking care of ourselves."

Penny nodded in agreement, hoping that such an admittance meant that her dad was finally accepting that he couldn't protect her form everything. Sadly, she was wrong. Mostly.

"That is why...and please hear me out on this...I think it'd be best if we finally came clean about your existence to the public." Tony admitted slowly, noticing how Penny's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You are more than able to take care of yourself...hell, you were capable of taking on an Asgardian metal assassin before you were Awake or whatever you call it. And I don't want anyone else having that as leverage over us. Besides." Tony sighed and gave Penny a smile. "I'm proud of you, and it's time that the world knew it."

Penny seriously couldn't believe what had happened. She wasn't sure what had happened exactly after Mortem had knocked her out, but it sounded like Emerson had proven to be a bigger moron that his previous actions and her memories showed.

She thought about it for a moment, balancing the pros and cons. Realizing that most of her reasons for staying hidden were no longer valid now that she was Awake. She had been famous many times in her near endless lives, and she was more than capable, just like her father said.

Not to mention, if she was honest with herself, she finally wanted others to know who she was in this world.

Penella Piper Maria Stark.

She grinned up at her father, her eyes suddenly blazing and her aura invisibly flaring.

"Let's do it."

Because of the following events, no one ever looked for previous Head Councilman Emerson. Of course, even if someone had, they wouldn't have found him.

The Jarvis piloted Stealth Suit had dropped an unconscious Emerson (who no longer existed electronically on any database on the planet) deep into a section of jungle that was uninhabited except by large cats and a village of cannibals practically unknown to the outside world.

Even if the man had survived the cats and cannibals, and somehow managed to return to some form of civilization, he would've discovered that not only was his face on the CIA's, MI6's, and Interpol's most wanted lists for various, death row worthy crimes, but he also home to some of the nastiest diseases known to man. Ones that would cause him to suffer, but not die any time soon.

It was less than forty eight hours later that a terrified Reaper appeared with the man's Soul. (He had failed to avoid the cats and cannibals.) The Reaper had panicked after watching the man's life, and immediately brought the Soul to Mortem's attention.

After dismissing the Reaper and removing his mind from the Soul, Mortem summoned a few of his Siblings.

"Noli, Vindicta, Laetita, and Genus. It seems that we have another Mortal whom needs to be taught that it is unwise to harm Aequivalere." Mortem stated coldly as the others appeared before him. A large, dark grin spread across his face. "And even better, I've already collected this one's Soul."

Let's just say, that Emerson's Soul didn't rejoin the masses for quite some rime.

If there ever was a reason not to piss off Starks, there was five times more of a reason not to piss off Immortalises.

Well, that happened.

Once again, the chapter didn't come out as planned...but that's how these things go. Anyway, hope it turned out alright, was believable, and filled everyone's retribution expectations.

I wrote this while in the car on a small road trip. Hope you enjoyed it.

R&R if you please.

Cp