Old Beginnings
One Week Before Day Zero
“No, get Strange to do it. Looking at a man’s spine might be boring for him but I’m not taking my time off this kid,” Tony huffed, ending the call even as the man on the line continues to sputter.
The clock on his phone tells him he’s got another 23 minutes before Harley comes in for one last check-up, and not for the first time Tony wishes Stane Hospitals would let him have an on-site workshop so he could use those minutes to do some productive mindless tinker instead of stare at all the mounting paperwork he’s due to get passive aggressive reprimands for ignoring. Tony’s still Tony Stark after all, even if he’s left Stark Industries to Pepper, and people are still wary of his wealth.
Tony’s never been more grateful for Pepper, and he’s never felt so bereft without her help here, but Obie had Stane Hospitals, which ruled California’s medical scene. Stane Hospitals was also the only one crazy (or motivated) enough to let Tony have a hands on approach with his medical patents even when, despite his numerous doctorates in engineering, he wasn’t really that kind of doctor. Still, Tony didn’t invent the world’s first, best, and only AI for nothing. Just because he couldn’t be bothered to do medical school, his medical understanding could rival Strange’s.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“You’re not Harley,” Tony says, half question, half disappointment.
The nurse, Angie, gives him an unimpressed look. She’s one of the best here, and underneath her veil of politeness, she’s the least bothered with Tony’s eccentricity. “No, but Mr. Stane’s just been spotted entering the building and I thought you’d like to know.”
Tony curses under his breath. “Thank you, could you maybe take a little longer measuring Harley’s blood pressure or whatever you can think of?”
Angie nods, ducking out of his office, and Tony turns in his chair. Obie being here means nothing good. He’s been hounding Tony for the Arc Reactor Technology, and Tony knows how it could revolutionise the medical world and bring Obie the profits to send both his hospitals and Stark Industries to even greater heights. But even JARVIS doesn’t have access to the blueprints only in Tony’s mind, and that’s because Tony’s been wary of Obie ever since he disapproved Tony steering the company away from Howard’s weapons to medical and green technology. Tony knows how dangerous his technology is in the wrong hands – and ever since – ever since the incident – Tony vowed his hands would never make anything that could harm. That he would only help in making a better world for… for him. Tony didn’t even know his name. Only knew brown eyes and the smallest fingers and – Tony forced his mind away. He couldn’t afford this right now. He took a deep breath and –
“My boy! I was in the area and – ” Obie’s voice boomed in the doorway, and Tony forced a smile on his face.
“Obie, again, the Arc isn’t ready yet. It’s gonna take months at least before I solve the catalyst problem,” Tony said, not bothering to get up from his seat.
Obadiah brushed some non-existent dust off the shoulders of his immaculate suit and leaned forward on Tony’s table. “Tony, my boy, I’m starting to think you’re not taking this job seriously. You being here has given us a lot of bad press. People are scared of coming to a hospital where they might be treated by an alcoholic and an ex-addict. You’ve got to give me something or I’m afraid we can’t keep this deal any longer.”
The room feels colder, and Tony clenches his jaw. Obadiah’s eyes glint with victory. He knows that Tony’s long since solved the Arc Reactor problem, and he knows how desperate Tony is to help in this way. They’re at a stalemate, Tony staring right back at the uncle he’s learned to mistrust, and Obadiah with a ghost of a smile on his lips.
“Mr. Tony, sir?”
Oh, thank god, Tony thinks as he sees Harley and Angie at the door.
Obadiah blanches but quickly covers it up, eyes turning even sharper. “It was nice talking to you, Tony. I hope you’ll reconsider, otherwise, well, you’ve always had a fondness for boys his age.”
And then he was gone. Tony wanted to slump in relief, but Harley was there and Harley needed Tony to smile.
“What was that, Mr. Tony?” Harley asked.
“Nothing, go sit, kid. How’s your eye?”
“I’m not a kid, Mr. Tony.”
This. This was why Tony was here, and by god, he wouldn’t let the likes of Obie stop him.
“Director,” Steve says, not bothering to knock on her office door.
Peggy stares at Steve through her reading glasses, putting her paper down. “SHIELD Memorial thanks you for respecting its Director’s consultation hours,” she dryly tells him, but there’s a small smile on her face. “Are you here to give me a headache or some good news?”
“A little bit of both,” Steve admits, sitting down in one of the plush chairs across from her.
“I heard that Pierce resigned today, and since he runs the clinical trials division, I thought I’d ask you who you’re having as replacement?”
“Eager, aren’t you, Doctor Rogers?”
Steve smiles sheepishly. Peggy knew the entire hospital disliked Pierce’s arrogance, even if they couldn’t be rid of him because of his money. It was also rumoured that Peggy was harbouring high hopes for whomever she planned on replacing Pierce, but she had always sealed her lips.
“Well,” Peggy goes on, “if I can convince him, you should meet him by the end of the week. Until then, Doctor Rogers, the paediatrics ward awaits you.”
“Keep your secrets then,” Steve huffs, smiling as he walks back out. “Just wanted to tell you the party’s at six, but the real party’s at Bucky’s place.”
“You know getting me drunk won’t make me spill anything, Steve!”
His laughter echoes as he walks away, Peggy keeping the grin on her face. She stares at her closed door for a few seconds, then flicks her hair behind her shoulder. Unlocking her phone, she looks at the name in her contacts and decides to just call. He picks up after three rings.
“Hello my darling Aunt Peggy,” his smooth drawl confident as ever, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Tony, dear, how are you?” She wants to ask him about the job straight away, but she also misses him like a limb.
“Wonderful, of course.”
“In that case,” Peggy teases, “you wouldn’t be interested in a job here that opened up?”
“What job?” Tony takes the bait instantly, and Peggy doesn’t need to ask to know he’s going to accept.
“Alexander Pierce just resigned. My hospital’s lacking someone to head the clinical trials division, and you seem to have racked up an impressive CV in the two years since you’ve personally gone into medicine.”
“How soon do you need me?”
Taking a pen, Peggy signs the newly printed contract of employment in front of her.
“Oh, Tony, I can’t wait to spoil you.”