Awakening

Like I said on that mini author's note I posted, I am so so sorry for the wait. My life just became incredibly, insanely busy. Though to be honest, when isn't it like that? (And I was having computer problems.)

Only two chapters left after this! I really hope you enjoy and I'll try to get the next chapter up faster.

Third POV
10/30/12

After everyone dispersed for the night/morning, Tony set to work in the lab. He wanted everything to be perfect, just like how he pictured it in his mind. Jarvis, at Tony's request, discreetly rearranged Pepper's schedule for later that day, arranging it so that she was completely free after lunch. Tony knew that Pepper would notice, but he hoped that she wouldn't mention it. He didn't want them interrupted for anything less than the end of the world.

Tony was so happy, so excited, so determined to get everything absolutely right that he barely gave Penny and Mortem a passing thought. He knew that Mortem would keep her safe, and anything else beyond that he just didn't want to think about, so he didn't.

On the other side of the tower, as Tony planned schemed and prepared, Bruce Natasha and Steve all stumbled back to bed. They had enjoyed the impromptu music show, but it had still been a long day. They all fell back asleep rather quickly, though their dreams were filled with scenes from their lives set to the music from the show. In the morning when they awoke, the three of them would blame Penny for their tuneful dreams.

Loki and Adayna however, didn't remain in the Tower. Returning to the manor, they were happy to discover that their children had remained asleep after Hel's departure. Thor, being the only one who didn't vanish into the woodwork, took up the noble duty of carrying all of his sleeping/unconscious companions to their rooms. The Asgardian was quite thankful for his superior strength during this task, as he didn't believe his friends would appreciate being dragged across the Tower at such an ungodly hour.

The blonde prince was thanked thoroughly in the morning by his friends. He was confused for just a moment, before he noticed his friends pointed looks towards the ceiling. It then made sense, Jarvis had ratted him out. The AI didn't like good deeds being left unacknowledged. Penny blamed parts of Tony's past for that particular quirk.

On the other side of the globe, Mortem and Penny toasted in the early morning light to the beginning of yet another anniversary together. They were both dressed casually and comfortably. Mortem in grey jeans and a black button down while Penny was dressed in a dark blue and silver sun dress. Neither Immortal had plans for the day. They had both decided to just go where the wind took them. They had been together long enough now that just being together and enjoying the day was celebration enough.

They were currently sitting outside of a small french cafe in Paris. The building itself was brick, and the small deck was lined with large bushes and vines that they knew would be covered in beautiful flowers in the warmer months. The small tables on the deck were made of twisted black steel with matching chairs.

The Bonded couple was quite fond of the little cafe, which was called Everlasting in french. There was a reason that the two of them loved the place so much, besides the fact that it had amazing drinks and pastries. No matter what dimension they traveled to, alone or together, if there was an Earth, Everlasting would be there somewhere, like it was waiting for them. It always looked the same, even if Paris didn't exist in that particular world. Though if it did, then it would always be on this little street corner.

Neither Immortal could figure out what was so different about the shop, but they were content just to enjoy the cafe's presence. After all, very few things in their world were constant. Especially so for Pen's case.

"Danish for your thoughts?" Mortem asked, his glass glittering in the early sunlight, and smiling softly at his Bonded as he held out a raspberry danish for her.

Pen shook her head softly as she was brought out of her thoughts. Taking the offered pastry from her Bonded she sighed.

"Just enjoying the morning." She told the Immortal of Death as she poked him through their Bond.

"Hmm," Mortem said thoughtfully, putting down his glass. Penny was attempting to block her emotions from him, but he could still see the shadow in her eyes that she was completely failing to hide. "Trying to ignore tomorrow's date?"

He picked his glass back up, and swirled around the conjured champagne from Cor. It didn't matter that it was barely past six in the morning, alcohol didn't affect Immortals unless they wanted it to. Though he did secretly love when Pen got intoxicated, which is possible before she Awakes, she was also so amusing to watch.

He pushed such thoughts away when Penny pinned him with a hard stare. Whether or not she had heard that thought he knew that he was right. He could feel her worry oozing past her shields. All of these millennia and she still sucked at shielding her end of the Bond completely. Not that Mortem was complaining about that, it made keeping an eye on his Bonded so much easier.

"Fine," Pen sighed finally, putting her own glass of champagne down and leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, I'm trying not to think about tomorrow. But I can't help it! You know that it is a universal fact that if I'm Awake, nothing will go right on Halloween. Even when I'm not Awake, they still tend to be dreadful!"

The youngest Immortal grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the bubbling gold liquid in her wineglass.

Mortem sighed and reached under the table to put a comforting hand on her knee as he sent positive emotions across the Bond. He was used to this shadow hanging over their anniversary. October 31st always caused his Bonded (and oftentimes himself) grief; usually the "most certain doom" kind. That was why he had chosen this day to 'propose' and why it was their anniversary. He had been trying to give his Bonded a reason not to hate this month as a whole. It had worked, more or less.

"I'm sure whatever happens, it'll work out in the end." Mortem told her, trying to be as comforting as he could. How many times had to tell her that? He silently wondered. And how many times had he been wrong?

He blinked away these thoughts and continued. "Your family is strong, both of them; and I'll be here right beside you the whole time."

Mortem smiled, and Pen was able to return it weakly. Giving her knee one last squeeze, Mortem jumped to his feet, the grin still on his face. Without even a gesture, his glass vanished, and before she knew it he was wrapped around his Bonded's shoulders.

"Besides," He whispered in both her ear and mind. "I'm sure I can find a way to distract you for the day."

Penny shifted in his grin until the two Immortals were nose to nose. Mortem raised an eyebrow in suggestion as a playful smile danced across his lips. He almost cheered when he noticed that Penny's eyes were sparkling again, and a smile appeared on her face.

"Oh? Are you sure about that?" She asked in an echoing whisper.

"Challenge accepted!" Mortem suddenly shouted in English and Pen squealed as she suddenly found herself thrown over his shoulder. Before any onlookers had time to realize what was going on or even had time to blink, the two were gone.

The one remaining glass of champagne from Cor glittered in the early morning light, alone at the table. Just as a bird landed on the table, picking at one of the abandoned pastries, the glass faded from the world.

Just like its masters.

Stark Tower, 10am

As late morning stretched across New York, a very disgruntled Tony sauntered into the kitchen. The billionaire was running on coffee, happiness, and his usual insomnia. He had actually been sleeping more than usual because of Penny, Pepper, and the team, so he was still in peak condition.

Although he wasn't at all tired, it had still taken You, Dummy and Butterfingers setting fire to the lab couch to get the man out of the lab. No one of the makeshift family was blind to the fact that the bots had done so under Jarvis' orders, they just didn't mention it. Jar might've been the youngest of the bunch by years, but maturity...he was almost the father of the family.

Tony hadn't been happy to be chased out of the lab. He, of course, had thrown a hissy fit but Jarvis and the bots were long since used to his arguments and just ignored the man. Besides Dummy, he had grabbed his fire extinguisher. That had finally broken through to the man and was why he was currently flaunting around the kitchen with a scowl that was mostly pretend.

He had already showered and changed, per Jarvis' orders. Now Tony was just planning on grabbing a cup of coffee and a bag of blueberries before heading back down to the lab. But his planned was ruined when Barton and Thor walked into the kitchen.

"You do realize that you both have your own kitchens as well as the communal one to raid, right?" Tony asked with a sigh as the two started rummaging around.

The billionaire didn't want to get sucked into anything today, not even a conversation. He had plans to finish, and preparations to perfect. Nothing was going to put him off track today.

Besides, he really didn't feel like socializing.

"Your coffee's better." Clint grumbled, looking distinctly hung over as he stumbled around the room. "And quieter."

Tony couldn't find a reasonable argument for the second point, so he just ignored it. Raising an eyebrow at Thor he said, "Your coffee is just as good as mine."

Which wasn't actually true, Tony was picky about his coffee and the only place in the Tower to have the unique blend was in this kitchen and his lab, not that Clint knew that. Tony had locked his special coffee away in a hidden panel that only he and Jarvis (or one of the Immortals if they really tried) could open; and Jar had specific instructions not to share his coffee with anyone.

Jarvis actually listened to his creator regarding that order. The one time he had allowed someone to drink Tony's special coffee, the AI had ended up with a squeaky, annoying, hipster teenage boy's voice for two days. Penny had been the one to calm Tony down and get him to change the AI's voice back.

Sometimes not even Jarvis or Penny could decrypt Tony's codes.

"Forgive the intrusion, Anthony, but I believe what Clinton means is that it is rather difficult to drink coffee when Lady Natasha isn't letting anyone near the coffee pot." Thor stated, glancing from the pop tarts he found to Clint. The man had obviously followed the archer to make sure he didn't get into any trouble.

Tony stared at the two in disbelief. "There's a coffee pot on every floor."

"Yeah, and she's not sharing." Clint muttered to himself, getting a strange look from Tony.

"What?" He asked, and Jarvis was quick to clarify.

"I believe what Agent Barton is trying to say, Sir, is that Agent Romanoff as hijacked every coffee pot on the residential floors besides Coulson's and Banner's. I also believe that they have braved yours simply because the prospect of waking either Dr. Banner or Agent Coulson rather terrifies them."

Jarvis' voice was smooth and knowing with just a touch of smugness shining through at the end.

Glancing quickly at the other two males, Tony sighed, knowing that his AI was right. With a shake of his head Tony grabbed his bag of blueberries and his cup of coffee and strode out of the kitchen. He really didn't want to know what his team was up to right now. He had more important things to take care of.

"Just don't break anything!" The billionaire called out over his shoulder. "And make sure that you don't eat all of my blueberries!"

By the time Clint's replying grunt echoed down the hall, Tony was already in the elevator.

Unknown Time, Cor

"Oh no, what shall I do? I dropped my cupcake, and it fell on you.

"Why should I laugh? Why should I cry? When one day, we're all going to die.

"Save me, Baby. Save me, Dear. I can see the future, and it's coming near." Insania paused, her random lyrics and tunes echoing around her. Her eyes glowed, tears pooled, and a grin spread across her face.

"Come to the beginning, come to the end. Fate is ticking away."

The Immortal kept cycling through her strange song, tears streaming down her face. But it was like she couldn't notice at all.

Unknown Time, Unknown Place

"I shall say this only once, Fati." The voice said, echoing through the dark, empty void. "Fail me, and you will be eradicated."

"I won't! I swear it." Fati declared with determination, before a twisted grin overtook her face. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Fati was left alone in the void, with only her insane, dark, gleeful laughing echoing around her.

The Tower, 2pm

"It's perfect." Tony declared as he stepped back and took in his handy work. He was still in the lab, but if any of his teammates wandered in they wouldn't recognize it.

All of the tools were put away, and wires no longer hung from the ceiling. The holographic projectors were completely off, and all of the scrap metal had been pushed into a storage room. The suits were all hidden behind fake walls, and prototypes had been stabilized and tucked away. Even Tony and Penny's desks had been pushed out of the room.

Tony knew that while Pepper appreciated beauty, she also liked simple things. So he had gone with that theme for the lab's makeover.

Fairy lights, 'borrowed' from Penny's room, hung from every inch of the ceiling. The few windows in the lab were tinted darkly, the lights were off, and the bots had been convinced to raid Bruce's lab for the next few hours. There were a few simple bouquets scattered about the room, and Tony had conned Loki into moving his grand piano down here. The piano was mahogany, and covered in a small white cloth in decoration. A small table had been set besides the piano, which held a bottle of wine – Pepper's favorite – and two glasses.

Nodding to himself, Tony deemed the room perfect. It wasn't as impressive as he had originally pictured, but Jarvis had guided him through decorating. Tony wondered if his daughter had given the AI some suggestions.

"Sir, Miss Pepper is starting to become concerned." Jarvis said, breaking the genius out of his thoughts and gaining his attention. "She is demanding to be let onto the floor to speak with you. She also wishes to know why her schedule has been cleared."

Tony sighed, wishing that he had timed everything a bit better. Even with over twelve hours in preparation, he had run past schedule by two hours. Not that it was his fault, he had gone through about six different setups, and cleaning the lab had taken about nine hours.

"Alright, keep her occupied for another five minutes, and then you can bring her down." Tony said, running a hand through his hair.

"Sir," Jarvis spoke slowly, as he brightened the lighting just a touch. "May I suggest changing your clothes? I do not believe Miss Pepper would find it amusing if you proposed to her in oil stained jeans and an old T-shirt."

Tony blinked in shock before glancing down at his clothes. When had he put that on? He couldn't remember the last time he actually changed his clothes. Last he remembered he had been in one of his suits...how long ago had that been?

Dismissing such thoughts, Tony realized that the AI was right. There was no way he could go ahead in his plan dressed as he was. Not only would Pepper killed him if he tried, with Penny probably assisting her, but he would die of humiliation long before they could even try. Typically he didn't care what he was wearing, but today…today was special. He wanted everything absolutely perfect.

"Keep Pepper occupied for at least the next fifteen minutes!" He exclaimed, as he started sprinting towards the adjourning bathroom. Due to Penny's forethought, and Pepper's nagging, both Starks kept a change of clothes in the lab bathroom; and it just so happened that the suit he had stored at the moment was Pepper's favorite. (Which was purposeful on Tony's part; that way when he was extremely late to something, Pepper wouldn't be quite so mad. Not that it worked often or even well, but he tried.)

"Of course, Sir." Jarvis said, trying to keep his chuckles from echoing over the speakers. He admired how on focused Tony could be if he tried, especially for a human genius, but other times it was just too amusing to watch his creator flittering about. Especially when he was nervous, that somehow made Tony even more absent minded than usual.

The AI, watching in amusement, couldn't help but draw part of his attention away from Tony for the briefest moments. Something had triggered his senses, but he couldn't figure it out. Jarvis scanned everything on his security systems, looking at every line of code, video, and whisper that had been recorded so far that day and was being recorded. But he found nothing. He couldn't figure out what had triggered his attention.

With unease, Jarvis figuratively leaned back, letting all of the data swirl around him. All of his systems were in the green, and he couldn't find anything amiss. But if nothing was wrong, why did something deep within him tell him that something was wrong? Why did he feel like something was very, very wrong?

Pepper's POV

I drum my fingers on my arm, waiting as Jarvis carried the lift down to the lab. Worry was twisting in my stomach and scenarios were speeding through my mind. What on earth was up with Tony? Was something wrong? Had something happened to Penny? Had he managed to get blown up again and was that why Jarvis had cleared my schedule?

I really had no idea what was going on, and Tony's weird behavior worried me. He hadn't returned any of my phone calls all day, even when I had Jarvis list them as urgent. Not to mention that when I finally returned to the Tower, Tony wouldn't even let me into the lab! Jarvis had been running me around in circles for at least twenty minutes now, if not more. I had tried interrogating Jarvis on Tony's condition but he just avoided answering. Which made the worry better and worse at the same time, I couldn't figure out if Jarvis' actions were good or not!

Most of the time Jarvis would share when Tony was up to, even if Tony ordered him not to, if it endangered Tony's wellbeing in any way. Sometimes though, during those rare moments, Jarvis kept quiet even the most dangerous of things, usually to protect someone else in our strange, growing family.

So which situation was this? Why was Jarvis and Tony being so secretive? I really hoped that Tony hadn't done anything idiotically dangerous again. I had managed to drag Mortem and Pen's anniversary date out of my almost daughter a few weeks back; and I was pretty sure that Penny wouldn't appreciate her anniversary being interrupted by her idiot of a father.

As the elevator came to a stop, I briefly wondered if Tony knew it was their anniversary, before deciding that it didn't matter. If the man had been grumbling or pouting over that Jarvis wouldn't have bothered hiding it.

With doors slid open with a ding, and taking a deep breath to steel myself, I strode forward. Instantly, I noticed that it was much darker than usual, and the lab's glass walls were tinted. Frowning, I typed my code in, and almost laughed in relief when the door actually slid open. At least Tony wasn't completely locking me out.

I barely made it a foot inside of the lab when I stopped in shock. I couldn't believe my eyes, I almost didn't recognize the place! I had seen Tony's labs in many different states over the many years I had been with the man, but I had never seen his space look so…beautiful, so romantic.

"Jarvis…" I said slowly as I wandered deeper into the lab. The air no longer smelled like oil and burning metal, but held the soft, sweet fragrance of the flowers that were scattered about the place. "What's…?"

Before I was able to continue my question, the soft notes of a piano filled my ears. (AN: Listen to The Sound of Light by Steven Cravis) My eyes widening in surprise, I turned and found something that made my breath catch.

Tony was dressed in a nicely pressed, midnight blue, pinstripe suit with a dark gold tie. His hair was brushed, but not styled, and he had a while rose pinned on his chest. My heart constricted as the simple yet beautiful melody continued to play.

The mixture of the fair lights, soft fragrance, entrancing melody, and my favorite suit caused my stomach to flutter and my heart to constrict. I hadn't even known that Tony could play the piano! He had never been one for huge romantics, unless he really felt like it, so what was all of this? He couldn't be…could he?

I stepped closer, coming to stand right at Tony's side. I didn't say a word, or even reach out a hand. Tony's eyes were closed, and he swayed with the music he was playing, a peaceful affect upon his face.

In that moment, anything could have happened. I felt my heart beat strongly in my chest, and the warmth of the universe wrapped around me. It was like the entirety of life was embracing me in its arms. Nothing else existed outside of this moment, right here, right now.

In this moment, as I watched Tony play, pouring his soul out through the key strokes, only he and I exited. It was just us, in this dimly lit room, the smell of flowers and fairy lights creating our universe. The world would've ended, and I wouldn't have cared. I wouldn't have noticed.

Wet, heavy pools gathered in my eyes as Tony's song slowly came to its final notes. I hadn't known the tune, but that had simply elevated my captivation. In that moment, that single moment, I felt more at peace, more loved, then I had since I was a small babe; and maybe, even more than then.

The final note rang through the air, and I held my breath, not wanting this beautiful moment to be broken. My eyes dancing across Tony's features as he slowly turned towards me. Our eyes connected, and I couldn't help the small gasp that escaped my lips.

In the many years I had known the man, I had learned how to read his masks, how to tell which shield he had up, who he was blocking out. Most couldn't see it; most didn't even know that they existed. Even I didn't know all of them, I couldn't always tell if the man I was seeing was the real one, the one behind all of the masks, or just another disguise.

But here, as his dark brown eyes locked into mine, it was as if his soul was pouring out of his eyes. He was lying down all of himself in front of me; he was being honest, without a single mask or wall to hide behind. I could tell in his eyes. I could see the sparkle that came with his brilliance, the twisting mischief that danced along the edges, the child like curiosity that followed every thought, the shadow of haunting pasts, and the slight spark of insanity that lingered, almost unnoticed, behind it all.

It was one emotion, however, that caused a single tear to form from the large wet pools and run down my cheek. There, overpowering everything else, practically radiating from his every pore, was an emotion that I had very rarely seen in his eyes directly. I had caught glances, when he gazed as Penny and thought no one else was looking. I had seen a similar look directed at me at times when Tony thought I wasn't looking or wouldn't notice, but never, ever before at such an intensity. It literally took my breath away.

"I haven't played since Evanna left," Tony said softly, and I almost laughed as relief bubbled through me, the wonderful, peaceful sensation of the moment wasn't broken with his voice. "The last time I played, was when I proposed," He paused, "right before she left.

He took another deep breath, and I could see the pain swirling around in his eyes, his wonderful, beautiful open eyes. My heart swelled; I never thought I could love this man in front of me more, but I had just been proven wrong.

"So, I thought that it'd be appropriate if I played again." Tony explained, and fluidly he slid off of the bench and down onto one knee.

"Oh, My, God," repeated in my head over and over again. Was this real? Was this man, this wonderful man who I had given up hope for years ago, a man who hated committing to anything, a man who would've called you crazy if you had told him he would be doing this a year ago, really proposing to me?

All of the sudden, I was so extremely thankful that Penny had come along. We hadn't always gotten along, especially in the beginning, but if she hadn't existed, I didn't want to know where we'd be right now. Ignoring all of the disasters the girl had prevented or dealt with, I didn't want to know where we, Tony and I, would be without her. I didn't want to think that we wouldn't be here, in this moment, with him down on one knee. But I was so, so thankful.

I was usually so composed, but with Tony laid bare, I couldn't keep my own walls up. I had to choke back a sob of disbelief and joy as the genius in front of me opened his mouth.

"Virginia Pepper Potts," He said slowly, lovingly, as he reached into his pocket.

In that moment, everything was perfect, everything was amazing. We were on top of the world. His hand slid back, and I could just glimpse a dark, Iron Man red, velvet box clasped in his fingers when the world exploded around us.

Everything went black.

Somewhere, Penny's POV

I sat up with a gasp, clutching my head in my hands as my Soul and Duties cried out in agony to me. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.

"What's wrong?" Mortem asked in my mind as I flung my senses out as far as they went. Searching, looking, needing to know what was wrong. What had happened? What was tearing my Soul apart? Who was messing with my Realm?!

My eyes widened as my energies collided with a very dark, very powerful, and very familiar aura.

"Fati!" I snarled, my power suddenly swirled around me, and then her location suddenly registered.

"DAD!" I yelled, ignoring Mortem's worried and frantic calls, or his arms and mind attempting to sooth me. I latched onto the location in my mind – barely a second had passed since the pain started – my mind was whirling as fast as it could in this form.

I vanished, rage pounding through my veins.

"FATI!"

And SCENE!

Yes, I know a very large cliffy but that was just how the die fell. Anyway, this next week is my vacation, and we will have wifi so I'll get a lot of writing done and I'm finishing Awakening.

Did you like the chapter? Pepper's part gave me a bit of trouble there for a while, and I really hope she didn't sound OOC but I can't do too much about it if she did.

Review all of you amazing people! Please? It really makes my day when you all do.
Thanks!
Two chapters left.
Cp