Tony figures things out with the military and meets Pep and J again.
I was going to have the meetings more meaningful and emotional BUT I think those should be kept for personal one on ones with Tony. So you get some tears n love but not as much as I was gonna put in the first time.
When Tony woke up, it was to the sound of Rhodey's whispered hisses and his chest constricting tightly as he tried to get his breathing under control. He didn't remember what his dream was about, but it wasn't good, and Tony was relieved when it didn't come back to him after a moment. He focused on whoever Rhodey was talking to, which was most likely the military; they were not happy and neither was Rhodey. After a while of them going back and forth over SI weapon production, Tony finally interrupted the conversation.
"Let me talk to them," Tony croaked out. He frowned at how sore his throat was and sent his friend a grateful nod when he was given a bottle of water.
"Are you sure you're up to this Tones?" Rhodey asked worriedly, and Tony nodded to show that he was okay. Suddenly, a screen was in front of his face, and he was met with the many glares of what Rhodey called "The Brass" which unfortunately happened to include General Ross. How he managed to strong-arm his way into the meeting, Tony would have to ask Rhodey once they were done, but Tony had enough of Ross to last him a lifetime.
"Stark!" Ross bellowed, and Tony couldn't help the glare he leveled at his tone. It was enough to cause Ross to hesitate for a moment. Sadly, it would never be enough to cause him to not talk at all. That wasn't how Ross operated.
"What is the meaning of you wanting to shut down your weapons manufacturing!?"
Tony sighed in annoyance, wiping a hand over his face. "General Ross, I know Colonel Rhodes has updated you on the course of events, so I know you know that somehow a terrorist group has a stockpile of my weapons, and they hinted that they weren't the only ones either. This means that there is a leak somewhere, which presents a security risk not just for Stark Industries but for the military as well."
Ross merely glowered at Tony, huffing his displeasure. "You could halt production instead of shutting it down altogether. Our military still needs your weapons."
"No."
"No?" General Ross sputtered, and Tony smiled. It wasn't a nice one; it wasn't pleasant, by any account, but it did fill him with a brief satisfaction to see Ross so off foot.
"I am going to shut down my weapons production permanently. I saw our boys killed with weapons that were supposed to protect them. I was blown up by a bomb that had my own goddamn name on it. There's no way in hell I'm going to keep producing weapons." Tony knew he should tone down his irritation, but dealing with Ross during the entirety of the "Civil War" and the events after the fact wore Tony out on any patience he had left for the man.
Ross went to speak again, but Tony held up his hand, effectively stopping him from getting a single word out. He briefly adjusted himself with the help of Rhodey, giving a small note of thanks before glaring back at Ross and the rest of the men situated in the room with him.
"I was blown up, kidnapped, had open heart surgery performed on me in a cave without anesthetic, and tortured for three damn months."
Tony would have taken great amusement with the way they all blanched as he told them what he had to endure. Although he didn't wake up in the cave this time around, he still had to deal with the aftermath for a second time. He wasn't in the mood to be evasive about his treatment. "I don't care what you think the nation needs—not when it's your selfishness speaking for everyone else. Not when you don't actually give two fucks about what happens to the men defending this country. You care more about the weapons and the power they give the U.S.," Tony narrowed his eyes at Ross, lifting a single finger to point at him, and said, "Don't pretend it's anything else."
No one spoke after Tony did for a hot minute, but he could feel Rhodey's body shaking up against his back, and he knew it was because he was trying to hold in his laughter. Tony would have smirked or smiled if he wasn't in so much pain or if he had been able to sleep for more than two hours.
Tony wasn't overly concerned with their reactions, considering he knew he didn't say anything they didn't already know. If you wanted a man who was willing to do anything for his country, General Ross was the one to go to. The man would shoot Captain America if he believed it would save America and bolster their reputation in the international community, and Tony knew this because Ross had in fact tried to do that very thing.
However, if you wanted a man who knew that the country was nothing without the people, Ross would be the last person you would want anywhere around you. The man would never learn that protecting the people of the country you claim to love so much would always be more important, even if protecting those people didn't align with your personal beliefs.
"Dr. Stark—" one of the men began, and Tony couldn't help but interrupt again.
"I know none of you are particularly happy about my decision, but please know that I will be shutting down production whether you like it or not. I am willing to finish out our contracts as well as continue to produce defensive gear and non-offensive equipment, but any weapons after the contracts expire will no longer be coming from my company."
Again, silence reigned for a few moments before Rhodey cleared his throat.
"We would also suggest that you check your end to make sure the leak didn't possibly come from you. Tony will be working with the FBI and CIA on our end. There will be full cooperation from SI, and the investigation will be in conjunction with the military."
"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Dr. Stark?"
Tony nodded firmly; he didn't need to think about it. He knew it was the right thing to do the first time, and this time is no different. "I'm positive. I need to because I can't continue with this. No bombs, no guns, not anymore."
Ross scoffed, shaking his head, and said, "So you're going to allow our men to die? You're going to take away our biggest advantage out there."
Tony laughed with a harshness that had the men instinctively flinching back. "It won't matter much if both sides end up with the same bombs and guns so what advantage are you talking about? We've lost it, we have nothing. I know full well that my weapons are the best on the market. I know why you want them but unfortunately, you aren't the only ones. It's why we're in this predicament in the first place."
"No, we're here because you couldn't keep a tight lid on your company," Ross snarled.
Despite trying, Tony couldn't hide the full-body flinch at Ross's words. Although that was a conclusion he had come to last time, it wasn't something he wanted to hear said by anyone, let alone Ross. It just made the betrayal by Stane more real; it made his trust in the man feel more misplaced.
"You're right," Tony said, cutting off the multiple protests from Rhodey and various men on the screen and plunging both rooms into silence. Tony wished for a second that he had Jarvis here with him because the look on Ross's face was, in his opinion, utterly priceless.
"Tones…" Rhodey began, but Tony shook his head stopping him from saying anything else.
"This is also the result of my lack of oversight. I focused on making more weapons and partying instead of running my company, and I trusted the wrong people. No matter how you look at it, that's on me. However," Tony hardened his voice and glared at Ross. "I will not sit here and let you try to guilt-trip me into continuing to develop weapons while ignoring the security risk it presents. This is the last time I'm saying this, General Ross. I am shutting down my weapons manufacturing. I don't care how you feel about it."
It was quiet for a moment as Tony gave them time to finally come to terms with what he was saying. He closed his eyes, leaning further into the warmth that Rhodey was giving off. He was so glad that he decided to bring the man back with him. He truly didn't know how he would be able to do this without him. It wasn't this difficult the first time; granted, he didn't give anyone a heads up but still, their insistence—or rather, Ross's insistence—on him continuing to develop weapons was more than tiring. Tony was still wondering how in the hell Ross managed to get a seat here; the man was managing to make a nuisance of himself early.
After what felt like hours of silent deliberation, they finally agreed to his demands.
"We understand Dr. Stark."
Tony opened his eyes slowly, briefly tilting his head up to share a look with Rhodey. At his nod, he turned his attention back to the men on the screen.
"There is another thing I would like to discuss. I won't be sharing this information with anyone else, not until I can finalize everything, but I escaped by building a flying suit of armor." At the incredulous looks, Tony couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
"I don't think they believe me Honey Bear," he said, glancing up at Rhodey who had an amused expression on his face.
"I would like to propose an agreement between SI and the military regarding creating a task force of search and rescue armor. It won't be outfitted for battle, but it will have defensive mechanisms in place should it be attacked. It will remain the intellectual property of SI, but per the agreement, it will be military property for an allotted period of time."
As hard as he tried, Tony couldn't ignore the hungry look that entered Ross's eyes. He made a note to make sure Ross stayed far, far away from any planning involving his creations.
"And who will pilot these armors?"
Tony waved his hand in a don't worry manner. He didn't want to reveal the existence of Jarvis to anyone not already in the know. "That can be decided at another time once everything else is hammered out," Tony said, effectively dismissing the question.
"Is there anything else you need to discuss, Dr. Stark?"
Faintly, Tony nodded his head. He wondered briefly if telling them about Stane was the right thing to do, but ultimately, it will be easier if he removed himself from the equation early on.
"Obadiah Stane is the only one with high enough clearance in my company to be able to pull something like this off. There might be some board members working alongside him, but if the leak came from us, it starts with him." Tony took the time to inwardly savor the looks of disbelief on their faces, despite the severity of his statements. He knew exactly what he was accusing Stane of, and he also knew there was no going back from this. He put it out there, and the box was open.
"Have you any proof?"
Tony cocked his head to the side and said, "Not yet, but as I said, he's the only one with the clearance."
"Why is that?"
"He's my business partner, but he also happens to be my godfather." Tony shrugged even though the thought of what Stane did still managed to light a flame of hurt and betrayal in his chest. "I had no reason to keep anything from him. The only thing he doesn't have access to is my personal server and lab at home."
Rhodey snorted but rubbed the sides of Tony's arms in comfort. He knew better than anyone how painful Stane's betrayal was to Tony, and how it caused him to become more closed off to everyone in his life. How it set the precedent for many of his actions in the past—the same actions that somehow got them back to this point in time. The only difference now was that Tony knew full well who he could trust and who he couldn't. Perhaps he could say it was a blessing in disguise, and maybe it was, but it didn't feel like it then and it sure as hell didn't feel like that now.
"Well…" Many of the men looked at each other with apprehension before seemingly coming to a decision.
"We accept your terms, Dr. Stark. You will finish out your contracts and continue to make our defensive gear. We will give our full cooperation with the FBI and CIA, as well as check our side for any form of treason. Get some rest."
With that, the screen went black, and Tony was fully able to relax, releasing a tension he didn't realize was there until it wasn't.
"Well, that went better than I thought it would," Rhodey joked, and Tony huffed in amusement.
"At least I have something to tell the press before it happens. Now, all we have to do is make sure I stay far the hell away from Stane until the investigation is over, and everything will be fine. I can work on getting this reactor out before the poisoning begins."
Rhodey tsked under his breath, letting his dissatisfaction be known. "I know you have to, but if you don't get enough rest, I'm going to make sure Pepper stays with you to make sure you do." Tony began to snort before it was interrupted by a particularly loud yawn, and he patted Rhodey's thigh with a small beat. Tony had no objections to having his wife in his arms again, even if it meant he'd be in bed rather than the lab. Especially because they'd be in bed rather than the lab.
"You got it Platypus." He said this before closing his eyes and falling back asleep.
The next time Tony opened his eyes, he was back at the airport he was at the first time, and his heart skipped a beat when he realized he was just a few short feet from the love of his life again. Just the thought of having his wife this close to him was enough to make him antsy and restless. Rhodey knew exactly what he was feeling because he had the wheelchair ready for him when he was finished cleaning himself up.
"You ready?" Rhodey asked him, and Tony gave a small nod.
Seeing Pepper there, standing waiting for him was enough to make Tony's breath catch in his throat. The last time he saw her, he was dying on a battlefield, his body too tired and too broken. He couldn't kiss her one last time or tell her how much he loved her. Tony was cursing the idea of staying in the wheelchair; it was unbearable having to sit there until he finally came right in front of her. Even with the shouts of various reporters and the flashes from their cameras, it wasn't enough to distract him from the vision that met him.
She looked so much younger, but no less radiant. Tony wouldn't have believed this was the woman he fell in love with if it hadn't been for her eyes. Those eyes, that bright ocean blue, belonged to the woman he married and had Morgan with. This was his wife, the woman who followed him out onto the battlefield, brilliant in her own armor, the mother of his child.
"Tears for your long-lost boss?" Tony repeated the words he said to her last time round and a small disbelieving huff left her mouth as she bent down to squeeze his hands in her own.
"Tears for a selfless man who can't seem to stop trying to save the world," she replied, and Tony smiled gently at her. It was so great seeing her and having her again. He wanted to kiss her. God, he wanted to kiss her.
All too soon, she stepped away from him and gestured to the black SUV at the end of the runway. "Let's get you away from these reporters," she said, her nose wrinkling a bit in annoyance, and Tony laughed at her expression.
"They weren't here last time," Tony mused as they made their way to the vehicle, smiling widely as he noticed Happy make his way over to them.
"We've changed a lot since we've been back," Rhodey said quickly as he pushed Tony along, both of them anxious to get as far away from prying eyes as possible.
"Nice to see you, Hap."
Happy smiled, and it was a rare sight for the man. "Good to see you back boss," he said, clearing his throat, and Tony could only laugh.
The minute Pepper sat down next to Tony, he grabbed her and kissed her; his hands came up to caress her face gently. He smiled into the kiss when he felt her hands roaming his chest, her fingers gently skirting around the reactor. Tony faintly heard the light snort Rhodey gave off at their display and Happy's squawk but couldn't find it in himself to tear his lips away. He thought he'd never get the chance to do this again. He wasn't about to waste this second chance.
"I missed you," Tony murmured into her mouth, and he felt her smile back.
"I missed you too," she whispered against his lips. After a moment, she moved her face away and Tony inhaled sharply at the raw emotion evident in her eyes.
"Let's go home."
Nothing else was said as they drove to Tony's Malibu mansion. There weren't any words needed. Soon enough, the mansion came into view, and he felt Pepper squeeze his hand softly. Tony missed the mansion; he never bothered to have it rebuilt after it was blown up, which was something he always regretted. It was another consequence of his poor decisions, another mark in the column of things to not let happen this time around. Besides, it'd be nice this time to have a home away from New York for the time being. At least until Peter and Harley show up.
"You can't allow anyone to blow it up this time," Pep scolded lightly, an amused smile on her face.
Yeah, yeah," Tony whispered back. "No telling terrorists where I live."
Tony was nervous. Even though he had proof that Rhodey and Pep had come back with him, part of him doubted that J had done the same.
"He's here with you. Don't worry."
Tony was startled, staring down at his chest where the light orange of the soul stone was melting back into the blue of the arc reactor. He wondered whether the soul stone was ever going to talk... Evidently, it would, just not when he was expecting it.
"Uh, Tony?" Tony lifted his head and met the bewildered gaze of Rhodey, who was busy going back and forth between Tony's chest and eyes.
"Did the soul stone just talk to you?"
"You heard it?" Tony turned to look at Pepper, who was staring in shock at his chest. "You too?" He asked weakly and sighed when she nodded her head.
"The soul stone was the only stone that hadn't spoken to me yet. I was wondering why that was," Tony shook his head and stared at his chest again, but when it stayed light blue, he snorted and shook his head again.
"Looks like it'll speak only when it needs to," Pepper said, her voice showing just how puzzled she was.
"I have a lot to tell you, Pep. I'm afraid having an Infinity Stone use me as human storage is the least weird thing that happened." It would have been comical how fast Pepper whipped her head up to stare at him, but his nerves were still wracked over having Jarvis with him again. It never did get easier hearing his voice come from Vision; it was weirder hearing him speak fondly about Wanda in that voice. Especially since the witch was the main reason why Jarvis was killed in the first place. While Tony would miss Vision, he was glad the stones stopped him from creating him again.
If Vision couldn't exist without Jarvis, then maybe he was never meant to exist in the first place. After all, he only came to be because Jarvis was killed.
"What was the stone talking about anyway?" Rhodey asked.
"I was scared that J didn't come back with you two. I know the stones said that J had a soul, but I can still remember seeing his code utterly tarnished and ripped." Tony ran his free hand through his hair, unable to stop the shaking. He was bound for another freakout. It was overdue.
"Until I hear his voice again, I'm afraid that this is all just a really bad dream," he admitted.
"Well then," Pepper said, an understanding smile on her face, and Tony was struck by how beautiful she looked. He'd never get tired of seeing that smile on her face or having her near him. He's said it before but God, he loved this woman. "Let's get you inside. I'm sure Jarvis is just as nervous as you are."
At her words, Tony's eyes widened in surprise before his expression morphed into one of devastation. How could he forget that the last time Jarvis spoke with him was just before his death!? If Tony was nervous, J must have been freaking out. He had no idea what had happened since he died, so coming back without Tony there to explain everything...
"Inside," Tony croaked out as the car finally came to a stop. "I need to get inside right now."
It didn't take long for Tony to get back in his wheelchair, and Rhodey nearly pushed him to the door as Pepper and Happy followed closely behind. Tony could hear Hap question Pepper about what they were talking about and Tony inwardly cringed. He really needed to get Happy up to speed on everything, he thought momentarily before his gaze was captured by a familiar door in his face. Tony hesitated for a moment before opening the door, and he was pushed inside.
"Sir?" Jarvis's uncertain voice filled the empty house, and Tony couldn't help the broken sob that left his mouth.
"J?" Tony asked, his voice trembling and his hands shaking even as they gripped the arms of the wheelchair. "Is that you?" He looked up at the ceiling towards one of the cameras, even though his tears made it hard for him to see.
"I see you were able to accomplish the ability of time travel, sir," came Jarvis's slightly sarcastic reply, but the AI couldn't hide the emotion of joy and relief he felt at being alive again, and it was at that moment that Tony let it all go.
With Happy standing behind him, confused yet comforting, Rhodey and Pepper supported Tony as he sobbed in their arms. Jarvis kept speaking in a calming tone. His British voice brought Tony a piece of himself he'd lost so many years before. Even as he cried and the pressure in his chest increased, Tony embraced the pain and the peace it finally brought.
"I'm so glad to hear your voice, J.," Tony whispered.
"You'll never have to go without it again, sir," Jarvis said, and Tony heard the promise that came through his words. He couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face at that.
"Okay…" Happy spoke cautiously. "Is anyone going to explain what the hell is going on?"
Right, Tony frowned for a minute. "J, make sure there are no bugs. I don't want a single person listening in. Lockout Stane: in fact, remove all permission except for Rhodey, Pep, and Hap."
"Already done, sir."
Tony smiled again and said, "Knew I could count on you, J." Tony stood up and made his way across the living room, with Rhodey and Pepper following right behind him. "I know you're confused, Hap," Tony began as he sat down, moaning in pleasure at finally settling down on his own furniture.
"I have a lot to explain to you, J and Pep. Mostly just you and J really since Pep and Rhodey know most of it, but it's gonna take a while to get through everything." Tony looked up to where Happy was standing, a frown sitting heavily on his face. Slowly, Happy made his way into the living room, sitting across from Tony.
"Lay it on me, boss."
I wasn't going to have Ross there in the beginning but I have a special plan in place for him so he needed to be there. A necessary evil basically.
Next chapter focuses on Tony explaining everything that's happened. Rhodey, Pepper, and Jarvis experience coming back.
Stane isn't showing up yet. Not yet :)