Chapter 2
“How is Clint?” Carol’s worried voice asks over holo-call.
“He is out of danger… He might have hearing problems… But, Helen is doing her best.” Tony answers as he is fixing his gauntlet.
“Laura and the kids?”
“They are staying in Malibu with Helen for now.” Tony puts the tools down and looks at her.
“The rumors were true?” He asks with worried voice.
“Yes. It was your friends broken hammer.. Jane confirmed it.” Carol answers, looking at him sadly.
Tony closes his eyes. How was that possible? That thing was supposed to be indestructible!
This raises more questions then answers and makes things even more complicated. What was Thor even doing on Earth? Who or what had destroyed his hammer? Is he even still alive?
God… Tony hopes so.
Tony and Thor became good friends when The Avengers Reunited in 2014. Yes, they bickered and Thor did strangle Tony during the whole Ultron thing… But, unlike certain Super Solider, he later apologized for attacking his teammate and they hugged it out.
Tony just hopes that wherever Thor is, he is fine and well.
“I miss you… When are you guys coming back?”
Carol smiles “Tomorrow.”
“Good. Tell the Pirate that if he wants to steal my girl, best friend, cousin and grandson, he will have to pay triple in the future”
Carol laughs and nods “See you tomorrow Eddy. Love you”
Tony smiles “Love you”
The call disconnects and Tony signs, putting his tools and gauntlet at the desk behind him and sitting on it. Sensing his inner distress, Jocasta hugs him using her connection with him threw Extremis.
Tony relaxes in his youngest daughter’s digital arms and smiles in gratitude on the cams. In that moment Friday walks down into the workshop, looking at him in concern, as she, also sensed his distress.
As she sits beside him, he playfully pulls on her hair, making her groan in fake annoyance. They don’t talk, just sit there for a moment, leaning against each other.
“Me and Pete are going to watch a movie…” Friday starts, but is cut short when a orange portal starts to open in middle of the workshop.
Immediately Friday and Tony call up their gauntlets and prepare to fire if needed. Out of it steps a man with AWSOME beard, wearing a blue ropes and red cloak. In that moment, Peter also jumps inside the workshop, his Spider-Man Suit fully on.
The man quickly takes a glance on his surroundings before his eyes lock directly at Tony.
“Tony Stark. My name is Dr. Stephen Strange. We need your help.”
“And who is we?” Friday asks, slightly on edge.
“Hey Tony”
“Bruce?” Tony says with shocked expression, lovering his gauntlet.
Bruce looks tired and haunted… When his eyes met Tony’s he looked like he is about to cry. He walked up to Tony and hugged him tightly. Friday and Peter exchanged a shocked looks and Tony, who still didn't know what was going on, slowly hugged his friend back.
Tony, Friday and Peter followed Strange and Bruce back to the portal and into “Sanctum Sanctorum” where they met Strange's associate, Wong.
Bruce frantically explained what happened to him after Sokovia and how be met with Thor and they fought against his evil sister. Then he told them about their trip back to Earth…
So Thor is truly gone…
“From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals, hurdling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence” Wong, explains while preforming a great and dramatic magic show.
Ughhh… magic. How Tony hates that word.
"Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind..."
Strange paused, and looked down at the necklace he was wearing "...and Time,"
The necklace opened, and for a moment and a bright green light appeared before the necklace closed again.
“That's supposed to be one of the most powerful weapons in the Universe and you're wearing it like a nice fashion item?" Friday asks and both Strange and Wong look at her with unbelievable look, before it turns to an intrigued one.
“Tell me his name again.” Tony says from his sitting place while looking at Bruce, who looks close to passing out from panic.
“Thanos. He’s a plague, Tony. He invades planets, he takes what he wants, he wipes out half the population. He sent Loki! The attack on New York, that’s him!”
Friday looks worriedly over Tony, who stands up and runs a hand through his hair, whispering silently to himself “This is it..”
“What’s our timeline?”
“No telling. He has the Power and Space Stones, that already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe! If he gets his hands, on all six Stones, Tony…”
“He can destroy life on a scale hither to undreamt of.” Strange finishes for Bruce, while still staring at Friday
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Friday asks
“You are not human.. You are an artificial being, but somehow, you have a soul.”
Friday blinks “Is that a good thing?”
Strange shrugs “I’m not sure.”
“If Thanos needs all six, why don’t we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?” Tony asks, looking at Strange with annoyed expression.
“No can do”
“And why not?”
We swore a oath, to protect the Time Stone with our life.” Wong says
“Things change.”
“Our oath to protect the Time Stone cannot change. This Stone may be the best chance we have against Thanos.” Strange says while loosing his patience.
“And still conversely, it may also be his best chance against us.”
“Well, if we don’t do our jobs…” Strange starts, but Tony doesn’t let him.
“What is your job exactly, besides making balloon animals?”
“Protecting your reality, douchebag.” Strange snaps.
Tony stares at Strange with offended expression and looks like he is a out to start another argument. But, before he can Friday looks towards Wong.
“So, Thanos has Power and Space. We have Time and Mind. What about the other two?” She asks
“Unknown. They can be anywhere in the galaxy.” He answers
“Where is Vision now?” Bruce asks as Friday mentioned The Android.
“On mission from Fury with Rhodey, Hope and Carol. They are returning home tomorrow.”
“And the other Avengers?”
Tony freezes, Friday and Peter exchange a worried looks and Strange roles his eyes, groaning in annoyance.
"You kinda missed a lot buddy.. The Avengers broke up. We're toast." Tony answers and Bruce looks confused
“Broke up? Like a band? Like The Beatles?”
“It’s complicated…” Friday chumps in and Tony looks relieved and thankful to her. He quickly starts to change the subject.
“Oh by the way, Bruce, this is Friday. She's my daughter." Tony introduces with a proud smile that Friday returns.
Bruce was completely dumbstruck by that information. He looks at Friday who smirks and waves at him. His eyes then shifts back at Tony and with a lot of difficulty he manages to choke out “Da- Daughter?”
Tony nods with a smile “Long story.”
He then turns towards Peter and points a finger at him “That’s Spider-Man, my… Intern”
Peter catches Bruce’s hand and starts shaking it rather quickly “It’s really an honor to meet you Dr. Banner. I’m Peter, by the way. Big fan”
Bruce awkwardly nods and smiles softly. While also feeling slightly lightheaded by the turn of situation
“This is truly a touching moment and I hate to interrupt, but we still have a crisis at our hands…” Strange chimps in and Peter finally lets go of Bruce’s hand.
“Tony… I don’t know what happened while I was gone, but this is bigger then any of us… We need every help we can get.” Bruce says and Tony groans.
He doesn’t want to see Rogers or any of them again. Since they are out of his life, he is doing great.
Well… except the whole Hydra kidnapping thing.
But, on the other hand, he also knows that Bruce is right. He just doesn’t like it and they can’t do this alone.
He signs and pulls out his phone dialing Carol’s number. “Hey honey. I need you to bring that stupid flip phone that I gave to Fury for me…”