Welcome Home, Mr.Stark
Deep in the halls of Stark Tower, there was a lab. Anthony Stark’s lab to be exact. No one had gone in that room since the owner of said room died. The day the man in the Iron Man suit had flown the nuke into the sky happened to be his last. He died a hero. The team was surprised to find out that the billionaire had planned out his final wishes on paper. He wanted them to stay at Stark Tower, even now that he wasn't around, so they could use the technology that was available and because it had become more of a home than another one of Tony's buildings he sometimes stayed in. Pepper was now in charge of Stark Industries, but only if she wanted too. She accepted only adding one circumstance. Rhodey was there with her every step of the way. Even though everyone stayed together, the mourning process wasn't any easier.
The funeral was perfect. It wasn't over the top like how Tony would joke it'd be. It was quiet, small, and above all had no press. Even when the man was gone, news reporters saw him as a quick buck. His death was another negative that the world could laugh at. Fury would say he could hear Tony cursing in his grave every time someone said something negative about him. No one knew if that was suppose to cheer them up or something, but they didn't really dwell on it.
Yet, no matter how angry or sad the rest of the team was over losing their friend, they had to keep working. They had to stay strong. They had to be the heros of day and move on.
But that was then. Now, five years later, no one had gone into that room. Until now.
“Clint you better give it back. I need it to train.” Steve Rogers had been searching for his so called friend who had just stolen his gym bag. According to the skilled archer, Captain America has been around to long and needed a break. Apparently he needed to let his inner Steve out. Relax and take things slow for a day or two. Of course Steve hated the idea. He needed to train. He needed to be alert. He needed to be ready for anything.
“Good luck finding your bag, Cap.” Clint’s voice came over the speaker system in the tower followed by the power shutting off. Steve cursed under his breath. He had just lost the ability to ask JARVIS, look on the security cameras feed, or even see through the halls all the way.
After wandering around for a few minutes, Steve realized he wasn't exactly sure where in the tower he was anymore. He hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings when he was chasing after Clint in the first place so now with, no lights, he was truly lost. With an annoyed groan, he pushed his way past a random door, into a room, that he hoped had his bag. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he opened up the flashlight app so he could see where he was.
Storage room. The chances of Clint hiding his bag in there was not likely. It was to bland of a room. To predictable or to normal for someone like Clint. There wasn't anything interesting in there other than old, worn out uniforms, gym equipment, decorations (Thor's idea), or a few unfinished projects of the man who's name brought sadness. Dust covered everything in this room, causing Steve to sneeze loudly.
“Ugh, someone should really clean in here.” He wasn't sure why he said it out loud. He kind of hoped Clint was hiding behind a box and that his comment would make the man laugh and reveal his “great” hiding spot. All Steve had wanted was to work out and now he'd be getting an allergy attack.
Quickly scanning the room with his blue eyes, just to be sure his bag wasn't in there, Steve growled in annoyance and went to the next room. Using the flashing app again, Steve's breath caught in his throat.
Tony’s lab.
The room looked exactly the way Tony had left it. An organized mess. Empty coffee cups cluttered the already paper and metal filled tables.
Steve slowly backed his way towards the door but ended up backing up into a random table. Jumping at the sudden contact, he dropped his phone, wincing at the sound of it breaking as the room went dark again. His eyes tried to scan the room quickly so he could make his escape, but he froze. He felt a cold breeze run over the back of his neck. He instantly assumed the it was the air conditioning. If that air was on that meant the power was too, so with quick feet, he ran over to the wall he believed had the light switch. Hands patted the wall for what felt like hours until they fumbled with the familiar feeling of the simple switch. Hope literally exploded in his brain when, after violently flipping the switch up and down, nothing happened. Steve grunted a sound of anger as he sunk to the floor to find his broken phone. Then he felt it again. The cold air. This time it brushed over Steve's face, making the super soldier close his eyes. He mentally swore he could smell coffee mixed with oil and a hint of mint, all underneath a strong cologne. Once the breeze past, Steve sat up straight, still sitting on his knees as he tried to look around. That smell was way too familiar.
“Tony?”
With a quick mental slap, Steve felt stupid for even thinking..
“Stevvve….”
Steve jumped at the whispering voice in his ear. He became terrified when the voice laughed. Then the cold wind went through him. His heart felt cold and he gasped for air when his mind panicked and told him he was in ice again. The laughing got louder and it didn't help him calm down any. Suddenly Steve could feel ice cold hands grab onto his arms, from behind, squeezing tightly as the whispering voice screamed in his ear.
“STEVE!”
Steve screamed and fell forward, hiding his face as he shook uncontrollably. The laughing above him became less evil and threatening a it was replaced by a genuinely amused laughed. It sounded like it was gasping for air. Steve slowly uncovered his face and looked up. He nearly screamed again at what he saw.
“Holy shit, you should have seen the look on your face.”
Steve sat up and rubbed at his eyes. He was starting to believe he was just dreaming a horrible nightmare.
“T-Tony?”
There he was. Tony Stark. Laughing at a terrified Steve. He was literally floating a few inches off the ground. He looked nearly see through and drained of color, but he didn't look unhealthy. He even looked younger than the last time Steve saw him. Slowly, Steve's mind put two and two together.
“I can't believe I'm dreaming about you being a ghost.” Steve laughed at his words.
“You think you're dreaming?”
“Of course I am. There's no such thing as ghosts.” Steve said flatly.
“You sure about that. I mean you were frozen for years and that's normal? I flew around as Iron Man. Is that normal? Bruce turns into a green giant when he's pissed. How is that normal? If all of those things are considered possible then who's to say ghost don't exist?” Tony questioned.
Steve sat still. Deep in thought. Dream Tony had a point. The life he lived was what people would consider impossible. Maybe even fictional. Steve snorted at the thought.
“Okay I'll humor you. Let's say you're really a ghost. Why didn't you appear sooner?”
Tony frowned. “I'm sort of bound to this room and no one's been in here for years so…”
Steve felt his heart seize up. If this was real that means Tony has been waiting for someone to walk in. Waiting, for five years, for anyone to show up. He must have been so scared when this all started. Finding out he couldn't leave must have drove him mad. Steve shook his head, shaking the thought. That would be awful if this was really happening.
“Look I get it, it sounds insane, but would I lie to you?” Tony held his arms out, waiting for Steve to answer. Slowly his questioning smile fell along with his arms.
“Don't answer that.”
Steve couldn't help but laugh. It was one of his laughs where one of his hands shot up to his chest and and the other reached out like he was trying to hold on to something. Once he calmed down he noticed that Tony had a huge smile on his face.
“What?” Steve asked with a chuckle.
“It's just… it feels so good to talk to someone.” Tony breathed out.
Steve stared at Tony for a few minutes before he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
“Okay. I believe you. If I come back tomorrow and you're here, I'll know this wasn't a dream.”
Tony smiled as he floated closer to Steve. “You'll come back? Really? Please don't be lying. I don't even remember how long I've been here that's how bad it is without people.”
Steve's heart sank a little at how excited Tony got at the idea of someone coming to see him.
“I promise.” Steve smiled at Tony.
Tony leaned forward to hug Steve and stopped before he had even really started. Fear all over his face as he stared at his arms that had disappeared through Steve's chest. It looked like Tony just realized he was a ghost. Steve could feel the cold air again and he began to panic. His mind was running a mile a minute, telling him he was in the ice again. Telling him he couldn't breathe. He didn't realize he had been holding his breath until Tony yanked his arms away, like he had been burned, causing Steve to suck in air loudly. It was almost like Steve couldn't breath when Tony did that. It felt like the cold of Tony had a hold on Steve’s lungs. Tony’s arms had felt like two icicles were piercing his chest, freezing his lungs until they felt frozen solid.
“I...I don't….understand.” Tony whispered, a sad and distant look in his eyes.
“Tony are you okay?”
Tony snapped his head up at Steve's words. “I am able to move objects around. I should be able to touch you. At least for a second..”
Steve's chest hurt at the sight of Tony being sad. Especially over something as simple as touch. If this was a dream, Steve hated his brain for making it up. He knew he'd be waking up with tears on his face because of it.
“Don't worry about it, Tony. I'll be back tomorrow, okay?” Steve mumbled with a small smile.
Tony nodded frantically. Behind them footsteps could be heard coming towards the room. Steve looked at the door and back to Tony who looked disappointed that their conversation was over. Suddenly the lights flicked on and at the same time Tony practically evaporated into thin air. Steve had to resist the urge to reach out after the genius. Seconds later the door opened slowly, revealing Clint, who was holding Steve's gym bag.
“Hey Cap. It's strange being in here. Why are you here by yourself?” the question mark in Barton’s question could be heard, cutting through the air.
“I was just thinking. You're right, I need to take a few days to relax.” Steve mumbled.
Clint smiled in Steve's direction. “Ten points to me for having my plan work. Come on let's go find the others and eat. I'm starving and I'm sure Thor is already half way through any food we have for the week.”
Clint was already out of sight, leaving Steve's bag in the hallway. Steve scanned the room one last time before he walked to the door and reached for the light switch. His hand hovered over the switch for a moment as he whispered to himself.
“That better have been real..”