When the Irreversible Happened
“Jarvis, are all the weapons ready?” Tony Stark talked in his armor.
“Yes, sir.”
He was shaking; he didn’t want to do this. He wasn’t even sure he could do this. Attacking and arresting his own people? His own friends? It sucked. But he had to do it. He was doing it because he believed in a better future with the Registration act. But the main reason he agreed to do this was to lessen the casualties as possible. People would get hurt during this process but if they didn’t agree to it, the government would hurt millions more. Somebody had to be brave enough to do this and Tony was the most suitable. People looked up to him; he often wished they wouldn’t but some would follow him even they didn’t agree with it. He just wanted to stop people from getting hurt without hurting anyone. Then he saw them, a group of super humans, looking like soldiers ready to fight.
Of course, Tony thought, smiling painfully. Steve was leading them. Tony hadn’t seen Steve for months. He was suited and he had his shield with him. Shoulders high, chin up, walking with pride. He glanced at Tony for a second but didn’t flinch.
“Steve.” Tony nodded formally, showing his face. He tried too hard not to run and hug him. He tried hard to remain cold and hard. And he succeeded.
“Iron Man.” He nodded back, more coldly than ever. Tony couldn’t help but flinch. Iron Man. Two words said it all. Steve didn’t call him Iron Man for years. He always said Tony with a soft voice. Tony hid his face behind the armor, like the rest of his body. And feelings.
He coughed. “I—ask you to” He stopped for a couple of seconds and looked around Cap’s team. “…beg you to……surrender.” He completed in a high voice. This was pointless, of course.
Steve threw his shield to a S.H.I.E.L.D van behind Tony and when it turned back to him, he said “You should have known by now, Iron Man.” He said. “We never surrender.”
“S.H.I.E.L.D. attack!” Tony shouted as he headed in Captain America’s direction, he knew he was the only one who could stop him if he had a slight chance. As he looked around he could see S.H.I.E.L.D forces colliding with Cap’s team.
“Jarvis, the repulsion rays!” he said, immediately sending them to the Cap’s shield. That shield. He could remember making it for him, spending days after days, experimenting different elements and ending up with adamantium and vibranium. It was indestructible, Tony would know. Now it was being used against him. Talk about Karma.
When he was busy reviving memories, Cap threw his shield through his palm area, disarming him of his repulsion rays.
“Okay, pulse beams!” he send one after another. Most of them hit the shield but some of them hit Cap, but it felt like Tony was hurt too, if they continue like this, they would solve nothing. Both of them were trying too hard not to hurt each other.
“Cap, if you would just listen-we have a point here-” He didn’t give Tony a chance to explain himself; instead his shield hit Tony hard at the chest, throwing him to the ground. That hurt.
“That went well.” Tony said in pain. Steve came near him, putting his hand on the armor and nailing Tony to the ground.
“You could at least tell me before doing something this stupid.” He said in a very, very angry voice. And hurt.
“Steve, I-” My sentence was cut by a loud thunder voice, and a large figure landed into the middle of the fight.
Tony got up and stared at the figure. “Thor?” he said in a shocked voice. Because last time Tony checked, he was dead.
“Nay.” He said and he threw Mjolnir to Cap’s group of superhumans. Captain stared at Tony in disbelief. He looked really disappointed.
“I never thought you would go this far to create a clone of Thor to use for your own purposes. That…..that is disgusting and a disgrace to the honor of our friend Thor.” He said in a low voice.
“What? Cap- you don’t think I did this? I had no idea about this! I would never agree to something like this!” Tony shouted, almost tearing up. He was angry now, how could he think that? Steve stayed silent.
“Thor-or whatever you are- stop now!” Tony commanded. He was going to kill Agent Hill for doing this. This clone could be very dangerous. He was so harsh on people.
“I will handle this, Cap!” Bill Foster aka Goliath shouted to Cap as he started fighting with the clone.
“Goliath-NO!” Cap shouted back what it was too late, clone send thunders right into Bill’s heart, his skin showed his skeleton for a moment, and then he fell.
“NO!” Tony shouted as he rushed to the fallen body, hoping with all his heart he wasn’t dead. Cap ran with Tony. Tony kneeled and stared at the body. “Jarvis, search for any remains of alive cells.” he demanded.
“No remains of life found, sir.” Jarvis replied.
“Fuck!”
***
Bill Foster was dead. It’s been a month. First death. First casualty. First loss. But not the last. Never the last. He blamed himself. He did not blame Tony. He blamed him for not standing by his side, yes, but not for Goliath’s death. He made him think that way; he hurt him because that was easier. It was easier to make him hate Steve. At least Steve convinced himself it was that way.
He didn’t see Tony while fighting S.H.I.E.L.D. forces since Goliath’s death and it worried him like hell. He didn’t even appear on TV. He could not bear if anything happened to him. He had to be safe. No matter what he believed was true, Steve only cared he would stay alive.
He had to go check on Tony to see if he was okay. He had to risk it. Trying to go into the Stark Tower without being noticed and going up to Tony’s apartment; especially now that is protected by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, was going to be almost impossible. Almost. Steve had his motives. He went to the gathering room and informed his friends. He didn’t say he would go see Tony, of course. He suited up and took his shield and got going.
When Steve arrived to the tower, he saw many guards so he decided to take the hidden way. He knew this place like his home and knew hidden places S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t, this place was his home for years after all. It was night; it would be easier to hide in case confronted with agents. He hoped he wouldn’t have to fight any of them.
To his surprise, he easily got to the top floor of the tower. He climbed the stairs he knew so well, reviving old memories. God did he miss him. He didn’t see him inside so he went to the balcony, he saw him and he was too close to the edge. And this balcony was the kind you could just take one step and fall to your death. And worse, Tony had a bottle in his hand. He had started drinking again. He was swinging and muttering things like “all….my fault…dead…protect him…” but Steve couldn’t quite understand it. He went near him.
“Tony.” He whispered. He wanted to keep a smooth voice but that didn’t happen.
Tony turned back so fast that he lost control and almost fall from the building if Steve didn’t catch him from his back.
“Tony, what the fuck? What are you doing? Do you want to die?” He got angry because he hated how Tony didn’t care about himself. He carried him to the couch and put him down there. Tony didn’t let go of his arms, looked deep into Steve’s eyes.
“Yes.” He muttered. “Yes, I want to…..die.” he sighed. He was so drunk but somehow Steve knew he wasn’t exactly lying. Steve didn’t even want to think what would happen if he didn’t come here. Would his armor save him? He didn’t know but he knew that he couldn’t leave Tony alone tonight.
“Steve?” Tony muttered half asleep. “Steve…sorry…I-” he stopped and just started staring blankly to nowhere.
“Tony, do what you must do. Just please, please don’t get yourself hurt in the process.” He said, realizing probably he would not remember this when he wakes up tomorrow.
“Okay.” Tony murmured and fell asleep.
“I love you.” Steve said, knowing he didn’t hear him.