That Meeting in the Bar
Tony sighted as he ordered his drink. He was so tired.
It’s been two months since Thanos won, since half the universe turned to dust....two months since Peter died on his arms.
Since then, it has been work and work, trying to put down many of the fires Thanos left behind.
Tony hopes the bastard is rotting in hell.
Everywhere you go, there was grief. Grief of a sudden loss, of loosing someone that was just alive and in a moment, they are gone.
In a way, the dusted were the lucky ones. They didn’t have to deal with this pain. All of it was for those that were left behind.
Tony knows, that he is fairly lucky. Rhodey And Pepper made it out alive. So did Thor and Bruce. Despite not talking to them in a long time, he’s glad they survived. Though he can’t imagine what Thor is going threw. Loosing his home, his people, his father, his brother (for real, this time Loki is really dead, and that tales you everything) and then this.
Friday already confirmed to him that Jane Foster had survived the snap. He should give her a call. The big guy could use her help. Even if they broke up, the two care for each other greatly.
But still, even if some of his closest made it, he can’t stop thinking of the ones that didn’t.
Happy is gone, Peter and his Aunt May, both gone. The whole Keener family, gone. Most of the Carters are gone. He has no idea if Sharon is alive or not. Even Nick Fury, his god father, dusted.
And that’s not to mention Vision, who’s really dead. Tony had just stopped some asshole from trying to get his hands on him, and Friday is investigating him.
Tony felt his phone rang, he looked it up and groaned.
Rogers again.
Of course, fate had to kill sweet Peter, but fucking Captain America had to be around.
Ever since the failed mission in the Garden, Rogers has been trying to contact Tony continually. Tony feels he made it clear at the compound that he wanted nothing to do with him and Romanoff.
Sadly with how things where, and half of all heroes gone, prosecuting Rogers and Romanoff was not ideal. They were pardoned, with the condition that they don’t leave the country and that they had to do community service to repay the damages. Rhodey said Rogers already did The hole dancing monkey monologue, but nobody cares. Captain America’s reputation is in an all time low, and gone are the days people did what Rogers asked without thinking.
Tony made it clear he was done with them. He allowed them in the compound, where the super hero efforts are being made, but that’s it. Gone are the days Rogers and Romanoff can use his money at their own care, or where he fed them and gave them techno’s free. Ever since he learned they used his money to find his parents killer without telling them, he swore to not give them a single penny. He might have forgiven Barnes, he had no choice in the matter, but Rogers chose to lie, and that he can’t forgive.
The new SHIELD had taken care of them. Fury and Hill are dead, but Phil Coulson is still alive and is taking the helm. Though of course the two are SHIELD’s least favorite pair after the dump.
Honestly Tony doesn’t know what Rogers wants. Now that his precious Bucky is dead, who knows what that man wants now. But Tony will have nothing of it.
Aside from those two. Everyone else is busy working. It’s not like they have the time to see what Captain America wants.
Thor and Bruce had left with Nebula and Rocket to find the remaining Asgardians. A friend of theirs had survived the snap and called them. Telling them where she was with the survivors. Thor and specially Bruce we’re glad to hear she was alive. He and the Accords council already worked of with Norway to help the Asgardians out. Carol Danvers left shortly after them, after she checked on her ex wife, who turns out had died of cancer before the snap. The woman left after that.
Pepper is managing S.I, dealing with the sudden vacant posts. Workers will have to work extra harder for a while and they need to make sure they are taken. Rhodey is dealing with the US army and the fall out. While an international agreement had been made to end tensions (its not like any country can focus on nukes right now) the army still needs order to guard the country.
Tony himself has worked at lot. As the owner of S,I, as one of the key figures of the Accords, not to mention acting as Iron Man to deal with assholes seeking to take advantage over the situation.
So Tony finally got a moment for himself. And he intended to rest.
Only problem. Every time he tries, all he sees is Peter, dying on his arms. Begging for Tony to help him, and Tony being powerless to save him.
Tony was distracted staring at this drink, that he did not notice someone sitting on his side.
“You gonna drink that ?”
“Huh ?”
He turned to his side and saw a blond woman, probably Russian based on her accent.
Tony couldn’t help to admire her beauty (you can’t blame him, his a single man, a pretty lady can catch his eye) but he also noticed she look as miserable as him. She had cuts on her head.
“Are you gonna drink that ?”
“Heh, barely started tonight.”
“Same here......Wait, your Tony Stark right ?”
“Yep, who do I have the pleasure to met ?”
“Yelena Belova.”
“Hm. Seems your injured.”
“Oh I was unlucky, was in a car when passing a stop light, when an car smashes on me and rolls me over. Just got out of the hospital, they are the worst.”
“You can say that again.”
They stood quiet for sometime.
“You lost someone ?” She asked.
“A kid that was....he was like a son to me. You ?”
“My mother. Only person I had.”
Yelena and Melina had been driving to New York when it happened.
They had information on another Widow and moved in to help her.
It was just them. Alexei had gone off as soon as he could to be Red Guardian again, forgetting all about his so called family. He did something stupid and was sent to prison.
And Natasha. Well.....she didn’t call ever again. Yelena was hurt at first, but some research finally opened her eyes.
Natasha didn’t care about them. She didn’t care about her. All her apologies and I love you sisters, fake. The news and reports made it clear. The only person Natasha Romanoff truly cared was herself.
Melina and her did mend their relationship of mother and daughter. So at least she had that. One of her so called family was real.
Yelena had been driving while Melina was on the phone.
“Yes, Yes thank you.”
“You couldn’t arrainage that meeting ?”
“No. As I just learned, Mr. Stark is missing on space.”
“Oh. That’s the shocking trending news.”
“Well we are gonna have to wait. We need help to make more Red Dust.”
“In the mean time, I can finally meet New York.”
Yelena waited for response, but nothing came.
“Melina. What the....”
But when she turned to the passenger seat, it was empty. Only dust remained.
“Mother....”
BAM !
Yelena’s Car was suddenly hit on the side, sending it rolling threw the street.
The car finally came to a rest, lying on its roof.
Yelena sat at the driver seat, upside down being held by her seatbelt. She heard the chaos around her as people started turning to dust.
Her eyes however, were only to the seat her mother once was.
“Mother....no....”she mumbled, before loosing consciousness.
“Spend two days knocked out, when I finally came to, I learned what happened......I learned my mother was.....you know.”
“Huh....Wait. You were coming for me ?”
“Yes. We needed your help with something but.....well doesn’t seem to matter now.”
Tony hummed. He was curious.
But right now, he could see she was not in the mood, and frankly neither was him.
“You know what miss. Let me treat you tonight.”
“Really ?”
“Hey. A drink after a long stay in the hospital is needed.”
“Well, I won’t say no to that.”
Tony ordered two drinks and handled one to her.
“Well Ms.Yelena, to the ones we lost.”
They tapped the glasses and drinked.
Little did Tony know, he had just met the person that would help him out of this hole, just like he would help her.