Chapter 21
Week Eleven…
It had been a week since I was off the zombie pills and honestly I kind of missed them. Mostly because I was now hyperaware of everyone in the house and the underlying tension.
Though I had to give it to Elaine her alternative treatment was helping. I had a lot more energy now so I woke up around seven o clock every morning to do my 30 minutes of outdoor exercise. I kept it simple just took a walk on the beach maybe a jog if I was feeling like torturing myself. I stopped by a small coffee shop to my morning caffeine boost before heading back to the house to make it back in time for breakfast.
“Morning.” Steve said.
“Morning.” I greeted back.
“How was your walk?” He said.
“Fine.” I said.
Yeah things with Steve were still awkward. There were things that once you put out there you really couldn’t take back. Calling someone a lost cause that was beyond saving to try to convince people to help you save your brainwashed best friend from the 1940’s was not the best way to win anyone over.
“There’s coffee.” Steve said.
“I stopped by a coffee shop.” I said.
“Oh.” He said disappointed. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“Okay.” I said before heading back to my room. I took a quick shower before heading downstairs. Luckily by then Bruce and Natasha were already there to act as buffers.
“Hey, nice dress.” Natasha said eying me up and down. I looked down at the grey and black contrasted maxi dress I was wearing. It was going to be a scorcher so I had opted for something light.
“Thanks.” I said.
“Do you mind getting Tony? He locked himself in the lab again.” Natasha said.
“Of course he did.” I said before going downstairs and letting myself into the lab. Tony was blasting music to the point the glass partitions were vibrating. I turned the music down to non-ear popping levels.
“That was my favorite song.” He said.
“You said that every time I turn the volume down.” I retorted. “Breakfast is ready.”
“Any chance you’d want to ditch the awkward breakfast and instead go with me to that diner we found or anywhere else?” Tony retorted.
“Tony, you can’t run away from your problems.” I said.
“It’s not running but since you brought it up… Venice is really nice this time of year.” He said. “Say the word and we can be wheels up in the air in less than an hour.”
“Tempting.” I said. “but not today.”
“Are you really not angry at Spangles? Like not even the tiniest bit?” Tony asked.
“No I get where he’s coming from.” I said. “He feels helpless. Steve’s like you.”
“Like me?” Tony scoffed. “Please I’m obviously smarter and better looking…”
“You’re both men of action. You see a problem or someone that needs help and you make it your sole focus to help and when your hands are ties and there is nothing you can do it bothers you. I’m a lost cause that can’t be helped.” I said.
“You are not a lost cause.” Tony said.
“Debatable.” I said. “Look he’s from another time where mental health wasn’t considered a real thing. He’s woke up seventy years in the future in a completely different world where aliens could come out of a whole in the sky and people fall out of said holes into another universe. He also found out his best friend spent the past 70 years as a POW and working against his will for the very people Steve almost died trying to save the world from. He’s a fish out of water and its taking him some time to get his footing. You don’t have to forgive him just be gracious while he catches up. Now get upstairs. You need to eat something other than coffee.”
“Yes ma’am.” Tony said surprised and putting his things down and following me upstairs.
“About time.” Clint said before Natasha elbowed him and I swiped a piece of bacon off his plate. Clint gave me a look and smirked when I just munched on the bacon.
“Fury called while you guys were downstairs.” Natasha said.
“Any news on Bu…” Steve started. “Hydra?”
“He’s found a few bases…” Natasha started before the TV that had been playing the news on the background suddenly froze and a strange logo with Chinese characters and ten rings…
“Oh shit.” I said before on the screen a golden throne with a two armed guards standing on either side appeared.
“For centuries history has neglected the oppressed. It is written by the victors…” The mandarin started.
“What the hell is that?” Tony said.
“It’s on all the channels.” Clint said flipping through them.
“He’s livestreaming on twitter too.” Natasha added.
“Is this normal?” Steve asked.
“No.” Bruce added.
“But no more. There are three sides to every story and the truth will be told.” The mandarin said before the transmission cut off.
“Hanna do you know anything about this?” Tony said.
“Boy do I.” I said. “What’s today’s date?”
“September 10th.” Jarvis said.
“September…Okay. Next big thing that comes up in the movies won’t happen until Christmas. You.” I said turning to Tony. “Don’t publicly advertise your home address.”
“Why would I do that?” Tony said.
“Because you have a tendency to jump into things without thinking them through.” I said. “But that was then and now you’re in way better headspace so maybe the house won’t get blown up.”
“What?!” They all shouted.
“Oh relax that doesn’t happen until a few days before Christmas.” I said. “There’s time.”
“Hanna honey… we’re going to need a little more than that.” Tony said.
“Do you want the cliff notes version or the overly detailed plot summary?” I asked.
“The second one.” Bruce said.
“Okay so six months after New York, you’ve all gone your separate ways Tony you came back here and Pepper moved in with you…” I said.
“Because in the movies we’re dating.” Tony said remembering that.
“Yes but also because you’re a hot mess.” I said.
“I’m a what?” He said with a smirk.
“I was trying to be nice. You’re a trainwreck. You basically live in the lab. Don’t sleep. Live life through one of your suits that you can control remotely. It really strained your relationship with Pepper. By the way you should really call and her and Rhodey. They’re involved.” I said. “So you’re having nightmares.”
“Hanna. The mandarin?” Steve said trying to get me back on task.
“I’m getting there.” I said. “Okay so Happy got promoted and you call him to keep an eye on Pepper at work when her old boss shows up. He works for a company… AIM.”
“AIM… that sounds familiar.” Tony said. “What’s the guys name?”
“Aldridge something. I remember he was blonde and had a really bad tan. You actually met the guy during your party years in Switzerland.” I said.
“I partied in Switzerland?” Tony said drawing a blank.
“Ask Happy.” I said. “So he wanted to get the CEO of Stark Industries to partner up for a project that would essentially help rewrite the human genome but Pepper said no because she saw how easily it could be weaponized and you both agreed to a no weapons policy for SI. Happy thought the guy’s bodyguard was sketchy so he followed him and there was an attack. Happy ends up in the hospital. You ended up ambushed by the press on your way out from visiting and one of them goads you into giving a response and you give out your home address daring the mandarin to come after you because you weren’t afraid of him.”.
“Sounds just like you…” Steve said.
“It was another universe you don’t know…” Tony started.
“Guys!” Natasha said sharply stopping the argument before it started.
“You were saying?” Clint asked.
“You come home, surprise Pepper with a huge stuffed bunny. By the way don’t ever do that. There is no universe where anyone over the age of five would want that as a present.” I said.
“I thought girls liked…” Tony started.
“No.” Natasha and I said at the same time.
“Also your one night stand from the same night you met bad tan dude in Switzerland shows up. She’s a botanist that made a plant that explodes.” I said.
“They seriously showed that in the movies too?” Tony said.
“You created your own demons.” I said quoting him to him. “Apparently they used that exact serum on people which makes them explode or turn into fire breathing dragons. It wasn’t really stable but since you figured it out with plants she thought you could help them. She also helps them kidnap Pepper to use as leverage against you. So the house blows up and you end up in Tennessee because it was a bombing that wasn’t reported with the rest. You find out the mandarin is in Miami. You go there. Rhodey happens to be there locked in his suit until they get him out and they use the suit as a trojan horse to kidnap the president. Fake mandarin gives you the boat to go save pepper and the president. You use the iron legion to take them all out and in the end you blow up all the suits because you realize the suits don’t make the man. You fix Pepper because they injected her with the serum… and then you decide to get the shrapnel out of your chest getting rid of the reactor thus ending a huge chapter of your live and letting you start over with a clean slate.”
“So what you’re saying is we’re working this Christmas?” Clint said.
“Pretty much.” I said.
“I blow up my suits?” Tony said. “I don’t even keep one?”
“They weren’t really clear on if you got rid of all of them but you called it a clean slate so I’d assume so.” I said.
“So my one night stand from a million years ago…” Tony started.
“Twelve years ago.” I said.
“A botanist.” He said.
“She’s also a DNA coder.” I said.
“She’s going to make people blow up.” Tony said.
“Her boss.” I said. “Though she’s not exactly innocent herself.”
“And my house gets blown up.” Tony said.
“You gave a terrorist your home address what did you expect?” I said.
“Is anyone in the house when it happens?” Bruce asked.
“Tony, Pepper, and Tony’s one night stand.” I said.
“You’re really not going to let that go. It was twelve years ago.” Tony said.
“And she’s getting people blown up his year.” I said.
“I didn’t even know you then.” He said.
“Dude I don’t care who you sleep with.” I said.
“Then why are you making such a big deal about my one night stand coming back?” Tony said panicking.
“I’m not you are.” I said and we all just stared at him.
“I have work to do.” Tony said. “Apparently I have a bunch of suits to build that I’m going to blow up on Christmas.”
“You don’t really have to.” Bruce said.
“Yeah it was mostly a grand gesture for Pep….” I said making Tony groan.
“Nope it happened in the movies so it has to happen.” Tony said.
“That’s not…” Natasha started.
“Nope it’s happening. It’s all getting blown up even the house.” Tony said walking out.
“Tony.” Steve called out but Tony ignored him and headed downstairs.
“Too much?” I asked Bruce.
“Just a bit.” He answered.
“There’s not really a right way to say it.” Natasha said.
“He really gave a terrorist his home address?” Clint said making Natasha and I give him a look. “What?”
After that breakfast was pretty much over.
“We’re going shopping and to the spa.” Natasha said.
“We are?” I asked confused because I didn’t remember when I agreed to these plans.
“Yes.” She said looping her arm through mine and pulling me out of the house with her.
“But…” I started arguing.
“You need it.” She said not letting me get another word in.