Resurrection

Chapter-12

“So you are telling me that I am a beast.” Tony asked feeling a headache surging through.

“No, my friend you have powers!” Thor boomed gleefully.

“Yeah, well I hate to break it to you sunshine. The last time I checked I was on fire and losing my mind… I think I pretty much qualify for a monster”. Tony couldn’t believe that these people who he didn’t even think that cared much had resurrected him. Well maybe Peter did want him back but to bring back by Loki… well that was mindboggling.

“Friend Tony, I wield mjolnir and have thunder as my power. You don’t really think of me as a beast, do you?”

“No offense, point break but I don’t think a hammer to your head could make you evil. You are a bucket full of sunshine” Tony replied with a mock glare.

“There is no need to argue Stark. You are what you are. Call yourself a beast, saviour, Iron man- in the end it’s the path you chose that makes you evil. Each one in this room is capable to turn this world upside down, decimate the world or murder thousands. So settle with the fact that you are alive” Loki said his face stone cold.

“Even you?” Tony asked trying to nag Loki further.

“Yes, for the moment” Loki replied unfazed.

“Right….so did I pass the test?”

Tony knew that they could see through his act but it’s not like he wanted to hurt others. He was overwhelmed when he woke up. He is iron man. He know how to control the situation.

Strange just looked at Loki. Both of them knew that the longer they tried to keep him away from the family, the more dangerous he would be. Since they had no way to know the extinct of his power, they were not ready to take the risk.

“Yes… We can visit but we need to place a glamour on you. For the first it would be better if you were invisible. Maybe a spell could be placed”

“Right, a glamour and be invisible- gotcha” Tony was eager. He was practically bouncing with excitement.

“And…” Loki continued.

“Oh come on! Reindeer” Tony was truly exasperated but one look by Loki he calmed down. He remembered well enough how the horns had lifted him and threw him out of the penthouse. He didn’t want a repeat of it. Nah ah, NO Thank you.

“And I think you need someone to accompany you. Maybe me and Peter. Peter can be the visitor so he could get access without much mayhem. We can follow him invisibly so that there won’t be any suspicion.”

“Okay, when can we go??” Tony asked glancing at the kid who looked ashen and pale for some reason. He didn’t want to dwell on it. He had a home to go now.

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Peter rubbed his eyes trying to shake off the tears that were beginning to form. He hated to be this weaken. His aunt had always said that he was sensitive but this was uncontrollable. One look at the man, he could see that his whole world was crumpling like cards.

A selfish part of him wanted to prolong this. Maybe after dinner. Maybe he could ask Loki to give him another day but he knew that it was cruel. Tony had been nothing but caring to him in the past. He was always the old man’s priority. It was his own fault that he had fell in love with his mentor.

So he tried to hide, make himself small. He had half a mind to sneak away but he was scared that this would be his only moments with tony. Once he goes back to family, then Peter had to keep away from him.

He was barely listening to the commotion when he felt a gaze upon him. Tony was looking at him with a pleading expression. He smiled and quickly nodded unable to look at his mentor’s eyes.

It was half an hour later Tony came down from his room. “How do I look kid?” Tony asked winking. Loki had put the glamour to make him look old- the age when he passed away. Now wearing a black jacket and blue jeans Tony looked every bit handsome like he remembered. How could a person look hotter when they age? Peter mused trying to avert his gaze.

“Stark, I am turning you to invisible, why do you need this much theatricality?” Loki asked coming down. He himself was wearing his Asgardian garb forgo his armour. He didn’t want to think that it will end up with a fight. Though he kept his favourite dagger in his waistcoat.

“I am sorry, who are you speaking about? Anyway, once it’s tested I have to turn visible right, I don’t want them to think that I was being ‘mistreated’” Tony said trying to keep his hair neat.

Loki could only roll his eyes. “Shall we?” he asked motioning to the door. The trio was ready to leave to the penthouse.

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Pepper sighed folding the files. She was really tired. Not that she wasn’t the CEO of Stark industries for past eight years but being a mom and CEO was difficult. Morgan stark was just like her dad- always demanding attention and pouting for silly things.

But she was also far too perceptive. During the first few days after Tony’s death, the kid had completely withdrawn to herself. It was as if she was observing everything silently. She had known that her dad passed away and didn’t cry. Definitely a Stark blood. But what was more astonishing that Morgan never asked about her dad. Pepper did feel bad about it. She had to know about her dad, about the heroics, the sacrifice he made for the world.

It was during a night when she heard a hushed voice. Morgan stark was asking Friday where her father was.

“Do you think dad will come back?” Morgan asked rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“I am afraid not, Miss Stark. He met with an unexpected death to save the world.” Friday said entirely emotionless.

“But dad promised me to take me to the zoo!” the kid whined stubbornly.

“Shall I jot down in the schedule, miss stark? Perhaps Mr Happy could take you to the zoo” was the Friday’s reply.

And that was it. Morgan stark had never asked about her dad again. She loved to hangout in his lab, play with DUM-E and U. But she never spoke about him, never read an article about him.

And somehow Pepper was grateful. When she had met Dave, the technical consultant of NYPD, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. She was truly hurt and though she had to be strong for others, she missed Tony. Dave never commented on it.

Their first date was truly a disaster. It ended up with Pepper crying and staring at the menu for twenty minutes. But Dave just smiled.

It was a slow progress but she had never felt so-so peaceful with someone. Like normal. She no longer had to look for the news and worry in the morning what attack was going in the world. Whether her husband would return.

So, in reality it might have been too soon. She had introduced Dave to Morgan only a month ago but apparently it was enough for the man to settle down. The huge engagement ring that she was wearing around her neck felt heavy. She hadn’t made any public announcements trying to be discreet about their relationship.

“Boss you are fifteen minutes late for your date, shall I ask the driver to pick you up?” Friday’s voice rang breaking the silence.

“Yes. Ask him to meet in the front” Pepper said dusting off her skirt and wearing the ring on her hand where it would stay in future.

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Tony couldn’t hide the tears that sprung in his eyes. Peter was already a priority member of Stark tower and he was granted access without any security check which made it easy for both him and Loki who were both invisible.

The idea was to see his family at first and then when Peter explains about the resurrection, stark will make himself visible.

He was jumping from foot to foot when he saw pepper sitting in her office. His Pep. Time really didn’t do any justification to her as she was still beautiful as how he met her in his early days. Those eyes which were always exasperated with Tony’s antics had gained few wrinkles but it suited her. Pep was still the most beautiful lady that he had ever seen.

Tony wondered whether she was thinking about him as she was absentmindedly touching her chain. Whatever happiness he felt was shattered with Friday’s voice.

“Boss you are fifteen minutes late for your date, shall I ask the driver to pick you up?”

He distinctly heard Loki muttering a curse and the last thing he saw was his pep wearing a ring which suspiciously looked like an engagement ring.