Chapter 22
Since their location in Bahamas was leaked to the public and neither Carol or Tony wanted to deal with the reporters, who were surely camping on the Airport like hungry ravens for them…
They eventually decided to fly back home on their own.
When they arrived at the mansion, they were both instantly brought into a bone crushing hug by Friday, who outright sprinted outside as soon as they dropped on the ground.
Apparently, she had another reason to be happy about. All of their friends bet on how long it would take until Tony and Carol gave in into their feelings…
Friday shamelessly won all of those bets…
Poor Parker… The kid had to work as pizza delivery to pay her.
Hope arrived shortly after they settled back in.
The Girls apparently decided to go on a shopping trip in to the city. Much to Vision’s horror since they dragged him along.
Tony only got out, because he planned something for himself, shorty after he and Carol arrived in Bahamas.
That’s why he is currently flying to the New York.
If anyone would ever expect Iron Man drop out of the sky in front a cemetery, with roses in his hands, they would be crazy.
But not in this particular moment…
As Tony walks, surrounded only by gravestones, he cannot help himself, but think about all those years of pain he endured.
In Afghanistan… They performed open heart surgery while he was awake and strapped down. There were no drugs to keep him sedated or keep the pain away…
They just went in and opened up his chest. They split his sternum and even touched his heart…
The second surgery was to install the Arc Reactor inside. It replaced his entire sternum and it was clamped the the ribs. Parts of ribs 2 to 5 had to be removed.
The Arc Reactor was nearly 4 inches deep inside of him, it pushed his heart at least an inch backwards and they also had to remove portions of his lungs.
He was in constant pain ever since… Then there was the Palladium poisoning.
It was kinda ironic.
The only thing that was keeping him alive was slowly killing him.
But he survived, and later had the Arc Reactor removed. Did it truly help him?
Ehhh… Probably not.
His sternum was fully artificial just as his rib cage. He didn’t have a metal 4 inches deep inside of him anymore, but the pain was still there.
It almost became his downfall in Siberia.
But again… he survived.
Extremis healed all of his scares, transformed his body into younger state and even regrow his missing and damaged organs.
And yet… sometimes, he can still feel the pain…
He stops before two graves and his helmet opens up. He keeps the rest of the suit on. He wants them to see him as Iron Man.
He sadly looks over the names on the gravestones.
Maria Stark. Beloved Mother and Wife.
Howard Stark. Beloved Father and Husband. Hero.
The last time Tony was here was on their funeral. He made a scene and publicly disrespected his deceased father.
The cover up story for their death’s was that his Father was driving drunk and lost control over the car.
Tony thought that his Father killed his Mother… and himself…
He continues to stare at the gravestone of his Father for a few minutes until he kneels down and finally speaks.
“I hated you.”
Tony brokenly chuckles before he continues
“God, I heated you… I hated you because you weren’t there for me when I needed you the most. I hated you because I thought you took her from me…”
Tony will never forget Peggy for that lie.
She might have thought she was protecting him, but in reality… she was protecting herself and their killer.
She and Rogers really were alike.
It wasn’t hard to figure out who ordered the hit on his parents.
May you rot in hell Obadiah…
Tony can feel tears forming in his eyes “But you didn’t kill her… You were framed and now… Now that I have my own kid… or kids.”
Tony chuckles again, brokenly “You would both love them, by the way.” He says while shifting his gaze between their graves.
He then signs and looks back to his father’s grave.
“I realize that you, even when you didn’t say it. You cared and loved me. And I’m sorry for what I said on your funeral or how our last meeting went… And I miss you… Dad. I miss you both.”
Tears are finally rolling down his cheeks and he lets out silent sob “I just hope… that you would be both proud or me. Of the man I have become…”
He places the roses softly at their graves and stands up from his kneeling position. He starts to slowly walk away, feeling like a burden was lifted from his shoulders.
He feels like he finally got the closure he didn’t get to have before…
“I see that you had fun” Tony says as he is leaning against the wall with amused expression.
Vision snorts in clear disagreement, as he doesn’t even lift his head from the couch.
Friday is beaming with happiness and Hope has a small smirk on her face, as she is looking at the exhausted Vision.
in that moment, Tony feels for his “Grandson”. Shopping with these girls is…outright horrible and scaring experience for whole life.
Carol also smiles at Tony, but he can see the slight concern in her eyes.
She is aware where Tony went while they were shopping. She offered to go with him, but he refused. It was something that he needed to do himself and she fully understands.
Tony quickly moves away from the wall and drops on the couch besides Friday, softly and playfully running his hand thought her hair, making a her groan in fake annoyance.
“You know girls… and Vis. I have been thinking.”
Tony starts and everyone present exchange a look that screams “Oh no” which makes Tony roles his eyes.
“I think it’s time to finish The Bleeding Edge Suit”