Tony was the first to wake which was strange. It's not often he's an early walker. He tried to go back to sleep but that clearly wasn't happening. He sighed, kissing Kim's cheek before standing and going downstairs. He tossed and turned half the night, waking every hour.
He yawned, walking down the stairs, ruffling his hair. "Jay, what time is it?" "It is 6:45am sir. Today is Thursday, October 5th with a temperature of 65 degrees-" He waved at the air. "Yeah, yeah ok, save that for after coffee." He trailed off, walking into the living room, seeing Gage and Quinn asleep in each others arms. He made sure to be quiet, having the feeling they made up and we're back together. He didn't want to disturb the peace.
He got the coffee maker set, turning it on before checking for any texts or missed calls. Nothing. He sighed sadly. He was missing Clint horribly. He used to be sandwiched between Clint and Kim when they slept. He had never felt so safe in his life. He hated this feeling. This feeling of longing and ache that there not there. It was heavy. He looked at his phone again, seeing the wallpaper that had him, Clint and Kim. A selfie taken by Clint and sent to him. He got lost, remembering that day.
"Sir, I believe your coffee is done." Tony nearly jumped, putting his phone away. "Thanks jay." He started to pour his coffee when TJ walked in. Loki following looking much more put together. TJ looking like he quit literally got dragged out of bed. He yawned. "Dad, make mornings go away." Tony gave a smirk. "Afraid I can't control nature son." "Can you at least make me some coffee?" Loki gave TJ a look before walking to the fridge. "So grumpy this morning my dear." Tony chuckled. "He was never a morning person. Unless there was a girl at school." Loki gave TJ a look. TJ gave a look back. "There still is...Lucy." He raised an eyebrow. Loki and Tony shared a look. Tony chuckled before looking away. "I'l get your coffee."
TJ gave a weak smile before sitting down. "Thanks." He looked in the living room, seeing Gage and Quinn asleep. "Guess there back together? That would explain your sudden mood change babe." Loki nodded, getting eggs, fruit and bacon out from the fridge. "Obviously. How do you want your eggs?" TJ sighed. "Scrabbled. Please." Loki nodded before getting to work.
Tony gave Loki a look before handing TJ his coffee. "You cook Loki?" "Yes. Kim taught me a lot of basics last night to help to my mind off things. I have to say, it is very soothing. " Kim walked in, kissing TJ on the head before moving to Tony. Tony smiled, kissing her before handing her a mug of coffee. "Morning angel." She smiled. "Morning. Your up early." "And your in a better mood to. " Kim nodded.
She got a glimpse of Gage and Quinn. "It was like the house for suddenly lighter last night. Like the storm passed." She sipped her coffee. "Any word from Clint?" Tony shook his head. "No. But it's alright, I mean he's out there saving people. No rush." Kim could sense the toll the distance was taking on him. She went to hold his hand when he suddenly got up. "I'm gonna call Happy about that job opening," He walked away and down toward the lab. TJ spoke first. "Mom, is dad alright?" Kim sighed. "He just misses Clint and dosnt know how to handle it."
There was movement in the living room. Kim turned and saw Gage was awake with Quinn stretching while sitting on the couch. TJ spoke first, turning to see them. "The love birds are awake." Quinn gave Gage a quick ruffle of his hair before walking into the kitchen looking exhausted. "Coffee then you may speak." Gage gave her a look, fixing his hair. Looking exhausted as well, following her into the kitchen. Kim gave a smile before getting her a mug of coffee. "So you two seem better." Gage sighed. "We still have some issues to work out but what couple dosnt. We did a lot if talking last night." TJ brought his hands in the air in quotations. "Talking." Quinn slapped the back of his head. TJ winced. "Ow!"
Loki brought him a plate of eggs and sausage. "You deserved that." "Ouch. Babe." Loki smirked, walking back to the stove. Quinn sipped her coffee before asking. "Where's dad? Normally he's up when your up." Kim sighed. "He's hidden himself in the lab. He's not taking Clint being gone on a mission very well. We all miss him. I miss him and your dad he misses him but he's never been in a position to miss someone. He was always the one being missed. And now he's worried and scared and dosnt know how to act. He's always taken action and he can't." Gage frowned. "Next time Clint calls me I'l tell me all that, maybe he can talk some sense into him."
Tony decided to busy himself, looking over Quinn's plans for her armor, seeing what he could fix and help. He was down there for two hours before his phone rang on Clint's ring-tone "carry on my wayward son." He nearly jumped, getting his phone and answering. "Clint?" Clint gave a weak laugh. "Hey Tony. How you been?" Tony let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Fine. Fine. Gage and Quinn are back together. I should have known it wouldn't be long. But other then that there's really no news. I've been in the lab tinkering here and there. I..I miss you. I'm missing you more then I thought I ever could."
Clint sighed. He hated hearing the hurt tone he had. "I miss you to. I'm having a hard time sleeping without you and Kim. I've gotten so used to your light that I have to keep a flashlight on to help me sleep. It reminds me of you." Tony sat down, letting out a heavy breath. "I'm barely sleeping at all. Kim tried to help but it dosnt do much."
Clint sat straighter, ready to seriously talk. "Tony, I want you to listen to me and listen good. I love you. I love Kim. I love you both so much it hurts to be so far away from you. But I have a job to do and so do you. Your job is helping Quinn on her suits and keeping TJ out of trouble and sometimes saving the whole damn world. Baby I love you but you have to take care of yourself. Let Kim or Quinn in once in a while. Talk to them about what your going thru because I'm not always going to be able to pick up the phone at a moments notice."
Tony hated himself for feeling his eyes water half way thru Clint's speech, he had to wipe a few tears away. "God I miss you Clint. I'l try do better. I have been a little lax on taking care of myself. But what about you? How's fighting the good fight?" "It's alright. Got bumped back by at least a month. There was a landmine, we got hit. We're fine, minor injuries before you start worrying your head off. I got a few sprains, a few bruises. A fracture is somewhere in there but nothing big. Coulson got the worst. He broke his wrist and hand, got a pretty bad concussion. Until we can get back on the field were gonna be gathering info and small recon work. " Tony sighed. "You know if you guys need any help my services are here. " Clint smiled. "I know babe."
Quinn kept to herself at lunch, as is normal for her. Working in her notebook, working on her suit when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked over, seeing Aiden. She gave a look before he spoke calmly. "May we speak? In private?" She sighed. "Sure." She packed up her notebooks and followed him to an empty hall. He sighed. "I want you to reconsider your previous decision." She blinked. "For what? Deciding to not work with a highly weaponizble chemical made for military and public use? Yeah. I don't think so." Aiden felt his anger rising. It was wasn't normal for him for his anger to be triggered. He thought maybe it was just because of her. Maybe he wanted her more then he thought. Yeah. That's it. He looked away, keeping his calm. "I don't think your thinking this all the way through. The uses of this are life saving." "You mean when it works?"
He took in a breath, his fist tightening. Nails digging into skin. He didn't know it but Damian was manipulating his emotions from afar. In his room in hell he was watching and making sure to manipulate all he could. "It's a work in progress Quinn. Trial and error. There is always trial and error with science. You of all people should know this." He was leaning against the wall, putting his weight in his forearm, almost trapping her. Staring down her 5'2 frame with his 5'9 frame. She wasn't scared. She glared up at him, arms crossed.
"My trail and error dosnt get people killed. Your extrmis is too dangerous and too weaponizble. I am not and will not be working with you, ever." He suddenly grabbed her arms, tightly. His eyes seething with anger. "I won't ask again. Work with me and I won't hurt your little boy toy." She smirked weakly. "I'd like to see you try. Now let go of me." He only tightened his hold. He spoke, nearly whispering in her ear. "Work for me and I won't have to force you on your knees where you belong-"She kneed him in his balls, making sure it hurt. He gasped out in pain before she punched his nose, making him fall to the ground, holding his bleeding nose. She stood over him. "As I've said. Try and hurt my family. I'd like to see you try." She walked away, taking her bag with her. He watched her walk away, his nose bleeding heavily and his balls aching. He felt his anger leave him with embarrassment and defeat but a new emotion emerged: vengeance. For embarrassing him, turning him down when his product could be such a life saver. Quinn Stark will pay. Not with her life but with the life of her family.
Quinn stepped outside, calling her dad. He picked up. "Hey Quinn. Everything ok?" She sighed. "No. I had a run in with Aiden Killian. He's threatened Gage and me and pretty much the rest of the family. He tried saying some other shit about me to get me to work for him but I kneed him in the balls and broke his nose." "That's my girl. Guess I should be on the look out for him?" "Or add him to some kind of ban list for Jarvis. Like if he comes to close to the house or something. I have a feeling he's gonna try something," "I'l do that. I can have Jarvis keep a look out. If he's within 5 miles of the House, we'l know." "Thanks. Is Gage there?" "Yeah, I'l get him for you."
She heard movement then some muffled talking before Gage answering. "Hey babe, everything ok?" "Not really. Dad can tell you more of it but that Aiden Killian threatened you to get me to work for him, like he thinks I'm some fairy tale princess that faints at the thought." She heard Gage chuckle before talking. "What did you tell him?" She smirked. "I told him I'd like to see him try." "That's my girl."
In hell Damian was sitting in his bed, watching through a fog Aiden and his anger. He had a ball in his hand that had etching of emotions on it with lines with dots. The dots acted like a volume setting but with emotions and Damian was a master at sliding them to there highest to get just the right emotion.
Gage picked Quinn up from school. When they got home there was fear and worry in the air. Kim had fainted and hasn't woken up for 20 minutes. Tony had her laying on the couch, holding her hand. Quinn went over to them. "Dad! What happened?" Gage walked in, looking worried.
Tony spoke, liking terrified. "I don't know. One second she was cooking dinner and the next she was on the floor. Jarvis did a scan and didn't find anything wrong, she just fainted and..I...I.." Gage and Quinn both saw the beginnings of an anxiety attack. Quinn touched his shoulder. "Dad why don't you get some air? We'l watch over mom." Tony swallowed, nodding before standing, giving one more look to Kim on the couch before walking out the front door for some air. Quinn looked over and found nothing, not even any signs it might be the elders. Quinn frowned with worry. "What could have caused this?" Gage had his arms crossed. "Think there's a correlation between her fainting and this Aiden kid talking to you?" "Like a premonition? Maybe. We won't know for sure until she wakes up. Lord know when that will be."
About 15 minutes later Tony came back in, Happy leading the way. "I found this billionaire outside, can I keep him?" Tony gave him a look before playfully punching him. Quinn smiled, running over and hugging happy. "Happy!" Happy smiled, hugging her before seeing Kim on the couch, frowning, letting go of Quinn. "What happened?" Quinn sighed. "She fainted. She's been out for a half hour. We're not sure why." Happy sighed. "I'l go make my famous coffee then. Seems like you guys could use some. You guys can fill me in on what's been happening." Gage gave happy a look. "Famous coffee?" Tony smiled weakly, following into the kitchen. "You'll see."
Gage took a sip of the coffee and moaned. "Happy this is the best coffee in ever had." Quinn smiled. "What's in this?" Happy smiled. "Just hot cocoa mix and ice cream as a substitute for creamer." "It's amazing." Tony was still on edge and distracted. He watched Kim passed out on the couch from inside the kitchen. He spoke quietly. "It's been 45 minutes. Should we take her to a hospital?"
"That won't be necessary." All heads looked and saw a man, well built with blonde hair and very attractive standing at the entrance to there kitchen. Gage was the first up, gun held and ready to shot the intruder.
Tony looked confused. "Jarvis? How did he get in?" "I am unaware of whom you speak about sir but I am reading electromagnetic activity in one spot by the entrance." Gage spoke next, glaring. "Who are you and how did you get in?" The blonde man didn't seem phased by the gun in his face. "I am an angel of the lord and I have come to protect Kim." Quinn glared, crossing her arms. "Angels? Please, tell us something believable." He looked at Quinn. "The devil exists. Demons. As well. You know they exist yet you throw away the notion of angels and heaven." All were silent before Happy spoke. "Can you prove it?"
The man smiled. "Of corse." He closed his blue eyes, a light shining around him before it went away showing him dressed in golden amour with white pants, boots, shirt and a golden shield. His wings outstretched and sword now held in his opposite hand of the shield. "My name is Micheal. I am an Arc angel." Happy was the first to react, doing the sign of the cross. "I am unworthy." Michel looked at him with a smile, his amour disappearing into a button down and jeans. "Please, I am a mere angel, do not treat me as thou I am a God." Tony sighed. "I need a stronger coffee for this day. Hey, where's TJ and Loki at?" Quinn looked at her dad. "On a date with Loki." Tony nodded before looking at Micheal. "So why exactly are you here to protect her? I mean of all the times to start that this is it?"
Michael sighed. "There is a war on the horizon, looming over your family. It involves Luke and his son. Do you not feel it?" Quinn spoke up quietly. "I feel it. But what about my mom? Is she ok?" "She is fine. She's resting. This war coming is going to take a lot out of her, hurt her even and she needs to be 100%." Quinn shook her head. "I'm sorry, I agree with my dad here, of all the times to protect her it's now? Not when she was kidnapped and rapped or kidnapped and used as leverage against my dad but now?"
The angel sighed. "It was partly her mother. She prayed, feeling an overwhelming feeling of evil following your family. I came." Quinn nearly glared. "And those men that hurt her when we were kidnapped? They weren't evil?" "They were bad men, horrible. They are spending there time in hell but they were not evil. They are humans who walked the wrong path." Gage reacted, seeing Quinn's temper flaring. He held her shoulders. She continued. "I was raped. I nearly died. My mother was molested. My brother nearly died in my arms and there not evil? Or we can go even further back when both me and my brother were kidnapped when we were barely five years old. They hurt us. They put a gun to my head, sprained my wrist, tied my brother up so he couldn't protect me. I was fucking four years old and there not evil?!" Tony raised his voice. "Quinn! That's enough." Quinn looked at him before glaring at the floor, walking out of the kitchen and to the lab. Gage followed.
Happy frowned. "I'm sorry about her." Micheal smiled sadly. "Don't be. She has fire. It's good she questions things, that's how people grow. But I cannot change what is already law. No human is truly evil. " Tony sighed. "I hate to say it but I agree with her. To a point. I mean there's nothing I can do, I'm just glad there rotting in hell."
Gage followed her into the lab, growing with worry. "Quinn, what's gotten into you?" She turned, her eyes watery but it still didn't extinguish the fire in them. "Me? What about Blondie upstairs? He's a hypocrite." "It's not his fault things are the way they are. He's a soldier not the law maker." "Still there whole system is bullshit up there, saying no human is capable of true evil. I've seen it first hand and not even me, did they forget of a man called Adolf Hitler, Jeffry Dahmer, and anyone else that likes to kill for fun? Huh? What about them? Are they not evil?"
Gage frowned, seeing a panic attack inching it's way to the surface in her eyes. He walked closer, holding her arms. "I agree with you but I also know I can't change the universal laws. Getting riled up is going to do nothing but tire you out." She sniffled, wiping the tears from her face. "And people wonder why I'm not religious." He sighed, holding her close. "You and me both. How about we just watch spongebob until we're needed?" She nodded, hugging him close.
Clint groaned, waking up. It was dark where he was, his hands tied behind a chair and his weapons stripped from him. His clothing felt lighter which is how he knew they stripped him of his weapons. His mouth tapped shut as he tried to struggle out of his restraints but nothing would budge. It was supposed to be a simple recon mission. He was well enough to do that while Coulson healed. But somewhere along the line he got ambushed and taken down and waking up tied to a chair and mouth tapped shut in some basement.
"Good. Little bird is awake." Clint heard Grant Ward before he saw him walking into view with a very big knife, spinning it in his hands. "I worried if we put you in a coma, can't have that. " Clint glared at him, struggling in his restraints in vain. Ward continued. "Glad to see your doing ok, at least at the moment." He leaned down to be face to face with Clint, bringing the knife to his cheek, cutting the skin, making Clint wince. "Don't worry, you won't die. Just gonna send a message."