Chapter 1: Restart (Prologue)
Chapter Text
When Fury arrived at the scene of the crash, emergency services were already calling the time of death for the female passenger. A common occurrence of cardiac arrest. What wasn’t so common was the other body bag and an 8 year old boy being cleaned up by paramedics.
Knowing where he was needed, Fury ducked under the yellow caution tape and headed towards the shaken boy. The cut on his forehead was cleaned and held together with a butterfly stitch. Fury nods to the paramedic and she grabs her gear and leaves the two. Fury takes a seat next to the orphaned boy at the back of the ambulance. The two sit there watching everything unfold for a few minutes before Fury speaks up.
“Do you like Superheroes?” Fury asks the little boy. The boy just looks at him, his eyes confused and bloodshot from the tears.
“Well,” Fury digs into his pocket, “I used to be obsessed with this one superhero when I was your age, I wanted to be like him. He had the ability to cut off his emotions, so he could focus solely on the battle at hand.”
Fury passes over the little comic strip, about the size of a bookmark. The boy takes it in his hand carefully, aware of the torn edges from years past.
“This was the moment, in the latest copy of his comic series, that he realised he could not hold back his emotions anymore.” The boy looks at the comic, seeing the spoken hero kneeling before a fallen citizen.
“He had chosen the battle over the citizens, because his abilities made him focus on what he should do, not what a human would have done.”
The boy looks up and hands him back the comic strip, “but shouldn’t a superhero focus on the big picture?”
“What if the big picture was to help the citizens?” Fury pockets the slim piece of paper, “there would be no battle to face, if there were no citizens to protect.”
The boy sits back and looks at the scene before him. “He had a silver arm.” Fury turns to the kid. “Who did?”
“The man who killed my parents.” The young kid looks up at Fury, brown eyes knowing too much. “He had a silver arm.”
Fury glances at the car wrapped around the post. The scene looks like a clear misjudged turn. Fury grips the shoulder of the little boy and gets up.
Phil Coulson and Maria Hill were watching as the diseased woman was getting put in a body bag. Maria notices him first and gestures to the car, “male driver, late 30s, diseased on site. Female passenger was alive when the paramedics were called but soon after their arrival, died from cardiac arrest.” Fury nods along, everything as expected.
“The young boy was found in the trunk of the car. Apparently the car's safety feature automatically called 911 when the car hit on impact.” Coulson continues.
Maria continues the train of thought, “We thought maybe a possible abduction.” Maria gestures to the boy, “but according to the little boy, they are his parents.”
Fury nods, remembering the kid referring to them as his parents. He never thought he would see the day that Howard Stark had a son.
Coulson ponders, “still doesn’t explain why the kid was in the trunk. He went into shock before we could ask.” He focuses on the paramedics that have begun to wrap the boy in a woolen blanket for warmth. “Besides, they took him off our hands pretty quickly.”
Maria fixes Fury with a stare, “I saw you over there talking to him, get any information?”
Fury shrugs, “He didn’t speak a lot. And what he did, it sounded likely delusional.”
“What did he say?” Coulson asks at the same time that Maria nods, “delusional or not, it could be vital information.”
“He said that a man with a silver arm killed his parents.”
Fury’s two agents look puzzled, “the scene looks obviously like a crash, but it could be a cover.” Maria theories. “Howard wasn’t short of enemies. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone finally decided to act on it.”
“What about the silver arm, then?” Coulson objects.
“Silver arm means it is probably a metal arm, easy to kill without any fingerprints.” Shrugs Maria.
“A silver arm also isn’t easy to hide.” Fury rubs his chin. “I’ll look into the data network back at base, see what is available.” If this wasn’t the first kill, there was bound to be some mention of a hit man with a metal arm.
Fury looks over at the kid, the blanket making him look small and innocent. Fury notices Coulson leaving to pick up a call, while Maria comes to stand next to him. “Child services has been called. They’re going to see if they have any foster families willing to take on a traumatic induced kid.”
Fury shudders at the thought, he’d hate for his daughter to be dumped in a foster family. The unfamiliar territory and the sudden change in lifestyle. “Call the child services again. Tell them to stop looking for a foster family.” Fury turns to Maria, a parental look in his eyes. “I’ll take him.”
By the time Fury had signed off everything with the child services and been assured that the boy had no relatives, it was verging on the early morning. Looking in the rear view mirror, Fury notices the kid has fallen asleep with his head folded into his chest and the blanket still wrapped around his shaking form.
Arriving at SHIELD base, Fury opens the car door for the new addition to the family. Slowly and sleepily the young boy steps out of the car, eyes becoming wide as he takes in the base. “Are you a spy?” He whispers.
Fury chuckles, “I’m an agent, yes. And most agents live on the base with their families. It makes sure agents can remain in contact with their loved ones while working.” Fury looks at the boy. “And now you have a whole agency to look after you as well.”
After taking the walk through the sterile halls to his apartment, Fury unlocks the door and turns on the kitchen light, to reveal a cozy space. “This is the kitchen, that’s the toilet and down the hall are the bedrooms.” Fury gestures to the sections of his home. “Feel free to look in your new room. It’s the second one on the left.”
He nods and makes his way down the hall, entering the room as indicated. Surprised, he finds a young girl in his room, bold black curls and smooth caramel skin. She jumps up from her spot on the bed. “Hi!”
She comes over and sticks out her hand, “I’m Monica! I’m going to be your new sister!” She grins boldly. Her enthusiasm is almost contagious as he slips his hand into hers and shakes,
“I’m Tony.”
Chapter 2: Rebuild
Summary:
Rebuild (verb)
:build (something) again after it has been damaged or destroyed.
Chapter Text
11 years later
The door to the apartment rattles with force as Monica juggles her two coffees. With one last shove the door finally gives way, Monica throws the keys down on the entrance table, freeing up the other hand.
Monica looks around the empty kitchen, seeing no signs of life. She releases a sigh and dumps her shoulder bag on the bench.
Grabbing a jug of cold water, she heads to the bedroom.
Ignoring the body in the bed she opens the curtains, letting the late morning light stream in. “Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!” She gets a tired groan in response.
“It is 11am, you have an hour until you have to be at the SHIELD entrance exam.”
Tony flips over, so he can glare at Monica, “still plenty of time.” He mumbles.
Monica crosses her arms, “nah-ah, nice try. Last year, I left you to show up at the exam on your own. And you didn’t show.” She looks down at him, returning a glare of her own. “I had to take it on my own.”
Tony sighs, “fine. Fine. Just give me five more minutes…” he closes his eyes, and within a couple seconds Monica hears him snoring. Rolling her eyes, Monica grabs the full jug, and tips the cold water over his head.
Monica laughs as Tony jumps up and out. He glares at her as he folds his arms to cover his naked torso.
She opens his wardrobe and grabs the appropriate clothing, “Now, go shower and shave and-” she chucks the clothes at him, “wear the SHIELD trainee uniform and meet me in the kitchen to have a decent breakfast.” She turns to leave, “then you can have your coffee.
She hears the bathroom door shut and smiles to herself, pleased with what she has accomplished.
“Ah, coffee.” Tony sighs as he sips his latte. Monica buckles her seatbelt and turns the key for the car to start. She points at the car monitor as it shows the passenger seat belt blinking an angry red. “Belt on now.” She taps the monitor and backs out of the park once his seat belt has been fastened.
“So, how’s life, little bro?” Monica grins, knowing Tony hates the slang terms. “I haven’t seen you much since you moved out of SHIELD base.”
Tony sighs, “life’s fine.” He turns to look out the window.
“I talked to Pepper yesterday. She wanted to know how you were doing.” Monica glances at him from the corner of her vision.
Tony takes another sip from his coffee, “are we really going to talk about this?”
Monica grips the steering wheel a little tighter, “yes we are.” She flicks on the indicator as she pulls up to a set of traffic lights. “Obidiah is doing a good job, the sales are stable and he is putting a good name to the legacy of the Starks.”
Tony looks at her as she accelerates again, “that’s it though. I don’t want the legacy of the Stark name to be about weapons. Weapon’s equal war and war equals killing and destruction.” Tony shakes his head. “I went to pick up Pepper for lunch. Stane was there, and started asking me all these weird questions. I answered him honestly, told him how I felt about the company’s future. He blew me out, told me I was a naive kid who doesn’t know shit about raising a company.”
“You’ve never been in the public, I’m not sure how the SI council would feel if suddenly Stark’s apparent kid came to change things.”
Tony winds down the window, “that’s it though, I don’t want to be connected to Stark Industries or its worth. Nick wants me as far away as possible from the name. But I can’t change the ‘legacy’ of the Starks if Stane won’t even listen.” Tony shrugs, “didn’t help that he didn’t believe me when I told him I was Howard’s son.”
Monica freezes, “Wait, you told him who you were?!” Monica stops at another set of traffic lights, “are you insane!? Dad specifically told you to keep to your fake persona, the Winter Soldier could still be out there hunting the rest of the Starks down!”
Tony scoffs, “as if the Winter Soldier is real. I had just been in a car crash, my mind was trying to figure out some way to make sense of what was happening.” Tony sighs, “Besides, Howard never told anyone he had a son.”
“Dad found multiple references of an assassin with a metal arm. Even if it is some sick trick, we can’t take the chance.”
Turning the corner, a vehicle suddenly slams into the driver's side of Monica’s car. Monica hears Tony shout as the car rolls a couple more times.
Monica slowly opens her eyes to a blurry scene around her. The car had come to a stop upside down and blood is now trickling from her head. She attempts to call out but the seatbelt has left a nasty pain across her neck.
Monica looks next to her to see Tony in a similar condition, hands hanging as they maintain upside down. She tries to get his attention but there is no response. Monica eventually blacks out.
The monotone beeping of the heart monitor slowly pulls Monica from her sleep. Opening her eyes she looks to see her father sitting on the uncomfortable hospital chairs.
When she makes a groaning sound Fury looks up and immediately comes over to her bedside. He grabs some ice ships and helps her sit up comfortably to have them.
After some painful swallows, she reaches up and feels the fabric of thick bandages around her neck. Fury nods, “the seatbelt saved you from being thrown from the car, but it couldn’t stop from digging into your neck. It should make a full recovery but it’ll limit your speech for a couple weeks, while the skin heals.” Monica nods slightly, mindful of the bandages.
Despite the warning, there is one thing Monica needs to know, “is Tony okay?” She croaks out. Fury gives her some more ice chips as he answers, “I hope so, he’s got all the correct qualifications to join SHIELD he just needs to sit still enough to answer the stupid exam questions.” Fury reaches to grab another ice chip, unaware of Monica’s instant panic.
Monica grabs her dad’s hand and shakes her head, eyes wide. “No. He was in the car with me.”
Fury freezes, “what?”
Monica nods, remembering him being there when she first gained consciousness in the car. If he was not in the car when the paramedics arrived… She looks up at Fury. “It wasn’t an accident, it was an abduction.”
Chapter 3: Rebound
Summary:
Rebound (noun)
:an increase in value, amount, or strength after a previous decline.
Chapter Text
The first thing that he noticed was the consistent tap of what sounded like a running faucet. Next was the smell of fresh rain on concrete. And last was the iron taste of blood in his mouth.
Opening his heavy eyelids, Tony looks around the concrete cell. Three out of four walls are solid grey concrete, and the far wall is panelled with thick bars. Moving his head slowly, Tony straightens out the crick in his neck. The slight movement of his body jingles the long chained cuffs around his wrists and ankles. Surprised, Tony follows the chains as they dig into the ground.
“Vibranium chains. Originated from Wakanda. Strongest metal on earth.” Tony swings his head to the right, for the first time noticing an older man sitting on the other side of the wall. His greying hair was thin and sweat lined his forehead.
Tony shuffles his body slightly so his back is not bending oddly against the hard back wall. In doing this a sharp ache registers through his chest. Wincing Tony tries to clutch his chest but the chains remain tight around his wrists. It’s only then, that Tony notices his bare torso covered in a thin layer of cheap bandages, the ends already starting to fray.
“I’d be careful if I was you.” The man stands up and reaches over Tony, playing with a small box on Tony’s left side. How did he not see that before? Tony wets his cracked lips, “Is that a car battery?”
“When they brought you in. The crash had set off the airbags, but unfortunately from the rolling impact, metal shrapnel had also been released from the airbag covering” He lowers to a kneeling position in front of Tony and points at his chest. “Causing shrapnel to imbed itself in your chest. That car battery is powering an electromagnet. Protecting your heart from the invading shrapnel.”
Tony looks down at his chest and can make out the bulge of a circular object under the bandages. Tony breathes heavily but tries to stop when the pain persists. “Why aren't you in chains?” Tony asks hotly.
“I am a simple doctor. I am no risk to their organisation.” The man settles into a sitting position next to Tony. “You however, if you play your cards right, may just be their downfall.”
Yinsen was from Gulmira and has a daughter and wife waiting for him when he leaves. While Yinsen cannot unlock him from his chains, he does frequently clean his new chest wound and keeps a steady conversation.
Tony is already thinking and brainstorming ways to improve the electromagnet. No way can he carry a car battery with him everywhere.
Just when Yinsen was telling him about his wedding day, an unfamiliar man unlocks the barred gate to the cell. Yinsen quickly scrambles to the other side of the cell, fear crossing his face in an instant.
Tony glares at the man. He has a face that would be nice to punch. The man enters after locking the gate again. Tony watches as the key disappears into his right pocket.
“You are to come with me.” Punchable face states as he carefully unhooks the chains from their connection to the cell floor. He reaches down and grabs the car battery before shoving it in Tony’s hands. He roughly grabs Tony’s bicep and yanks him to his feet.
Tony looks back at Yinsen as the gate once again closes. Yinsen does a quick motion of the Cross.
The concrete floor feels cold under his bare feet and the chains make a harsh rattling sound that echoes through the damp halls. Tony wants to ask where they’re going but something holds him back.
After two rights, a left and a couple doors, they stop outside a door. Is that blood on the door handle? Tony shudders and the grip tightens on his forearm. Upon knocking the two enter the dark interior room.
A desk is centred in the room, a brunette woman stands behind the empty chair, dressed in a dark green business suit. Tony then looks behind her to see a dark presence looming by the right wall.
“Mr. Carbonell.” The smooth female voice speaks from behind the desk. She gestures to the chair stationed in front of the desk, “Take a seat.”
Tony is dragged to the chair forcefully and pushed down. The woman follows suit and sits down on her much larger chair. Tony’s eyes glance again at the looming presence, as he makes out a dark silhouette. “Can I call you Anthony?” The woman asks, drawing Tony’s gaze back to her. She nods, “I’m going to call you Anthony.”
Tony is taken back by her abrupt stare. Her chin resting on her folded hands. After a few moments she gestures with her hand to the threatening shadow to come forward.
The moment the silver arm begins to take shape, Tony feels his heart stutter and not from the impending shrapnel. Tony purely stares as his insides contort and twist. It can’t be. It was just a figment of his imagination. A coping mechanism to make sense of the situation.
Tony frantically looks around, there are no other exits to this room. He’s chained. Mr. Punchable Face still has a firm grip on his shoulder. The Winter Soldier has to know who he is. Has to have found out that there was another person in the car. Now he’s come to finish the job.
“We thought you might recognise the Asset.” The “Asset” comes into the light properly. The familiar long brown hair. The familiar mouth muzzle. The familiar empty eyes. Tony finally averts his eyes from the Winter Soldier and settles on the woman’s smug face. She gets up from her chair and moves to the Soldier, she glides her hands up his chest and rests them on his silver bicep.
“Isn’t he wonderful, Anthony.” She hesitantly pulls away from the man’s arm and sits on the desk in front of Tony.
Tony sucks in a breath as she puts her hand on his chin. “I believe we have the ability to make you, Anthony Carbonell , even better.” Tony believes her smile resembles that of the Cheshire cat. Tony swallows, “Who are you? Where’s Monica?”
Madame laughs, “Oh we didn’t touch your adoptive sister. We left her in the vehicle. The paramedics would have taken her safely back to Daddy.”
Tony releases his breath, she’s okay. Thank god for small miracles.
She tilts her head to the side and settles her eyes on his chest. “As for who I am - You can call me Madame.” Tony feels a prick in his neck and hears the familiar sound of whirling metal as he loses consciousness.
Chapter 4
Summary:
Rebirth (noun)
:the process of being reincarnated or born again.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Tony tries to open his eyes but they are just so heavy. His limbs feel like jelly and his wrists ache from an unknown pressure. The cold surface he is laying on is jarringly hard and uncomfortable. Tony can hear ruffling to his right and smells strong disinfectant. Disinfectant?
Tony uses more strength than should be necessary, to open his eyes. People in lab coats rush around him as he lies down on what looks like an examination table. Tony tries to move his wrists but they are held down by strong leather straps that create rashes on his skin.
Noticing the weight difference Tony sees that the bandages on his chest have been removed and a grey haired man is wiping down the electromagnet. Tony wriggles, “What are you doing?” The older man moves away and the intimidating lady takes his place.
“Do not worry, Anthony.” Madame brushes Tony’s hair away from his face. “This will make everything better.”
More hands come out of nowhere and place another leather strap across Tony’s neck. Panic instantly comes to the surfaces as Tony tries to move with his whole body out of the terrifying situation. I rag is put into his mouth as he starts to lash out .
“Bring me the reactor.” Madame demands. Hands begin to twist on the electromagnet and Tony starts to realise his pending doom. He’s going to die. They are going to take out the one thing that is keeping him alive and leave him to die.
With a sickening pop the electromagnet leaves his body. Instant pain crosses chest making his back arch with reflex. And within a minute the pain eases from his body and giving him a small relief.
Tears run down the corners of his eyes and his chest heaves painfully with every breath. Madame enters his vision and places a chaste kiss on his check, “We will do the rest in the morning.”
Tony is thrown back into the cell, his legs remain unsteady as a newborn foul and he tumbles to the ground. Mr. Punchable face huffs and leaves, not even bothering to chain him up again.
Yinsen rushes over to him and turns him onto his back. With a gasp Yinsen touches his chest. Tony looks down at his chest and makes eye contact with Yinsen, “what did they do to me?”
Yinsen examines the blue glow in Tony’s chest. “It’s an arc reactor.” Yinsen’s eyes lower, “They made me replicate the Stark Reactor technology, when they first took me.”
Tony freezes. “Stark tech?”
Yinsen nods, “Yes. I worked with Howard Stark closely when he was making the arc reactor. I believe it is the reason they took me three months ago.”
Tony gulps and touches his father’s tech that is in his chest. Keeping him alive. “You’ve been here for three months? I thought you were a simple doctor.” Tony raises his brows.
“I can be a simple doctor and an inventor.” Yinsen shrugs. Tony smiles and leans on the cell wall. “They are going to take me away in the morning. They are going to kill me.”
Yinsen looks Tony in the eye. “They will not kill you.” Yinsen points at Tony’s chest. “Otherwise they would not have given you that. No, they have bigger plans for you.”
The guard comes too soon for Tony and takes him away from Yinsen. The two share a worried glance before Tony feels the now familiar prick in his neck before going limp.
Tony is starting to feel deja vu. The elderly doctor is hovering above him when he opens his heavy eyelids. “How is the reactor treating you, Mr. Carbonell?” He slips on blue surgeon gloves,
“Fuck you.” Tony tries to spit in his face but he comes up short.
The man smiles, and gestures to his assistant to come forward with the leather neck strap.
Tony turns to take in the ceiling. The dark grey tiles contrast with the harsh hospital themed lighting. Tony closes his eyes as he feels the strap restrict his neck to the cold bench. A shiver runs through his body, reminding him that he is still shirtless. The bandages had been removed from his chest to make room for the reactor.
Goosebumps grow on his skin as he continues to hear the rustling of surgeon gowns and plastic gloves. Tony keeps his eyes closed and clenches them tight. His hands find the edge of the bench and hold on tight.
“Now, Anthony. There is no need to worry. This will make you feel so much better.” Madame leans down and kisses the reactor. Tony opens his eyes and tries to glare at her, but he is unable to move. “Do not waste your energy.” She stands back and starts to leave for the door, “You’re going to need it.” The door slams shut.
Tony looks back at the ceiling. The doctors are a blur around Tony. Tears begin to pool at the corner of his eyes and his mouth instantly becomes dry as he sees multiple needles enter his vision.
The blue glowing liquid swirls within the needles. Tony ignores the tinge of familiarity that naws at the back of his mind and swallows. He can’t believe this is happening to him. Is Monica okay? She must’ve told Nick about what happened. Tony calms his heart. He’ll be found. Nick will find him.
“Right,” The doctor flicks the needle and places the point close to Tony’s upper arm, Tony clenches his eyes closed again, “Hold still Stark, we have six of these to inject.”
Tony’s eyes flick open with a start.
Stark .
No one had ever called him that. A Stark.
Tony’s arm burns, he vaguely notices the doctor receiving another needle.
The burn turns hot and white.
Another needle. More pain. The pain is racing up his arm and into his chest.
Now his left arm.
Burning.
White pain.
Is he screaming?
He’s dying.
His back clatters against the bench. He holds on tight to the bench, making it creak from pressure.
Another strap is held against his chest. Another on his forehead. His teeth clench around leather.
He doesn’t know how long it has been. But the pain finally eases into a tiresome ache. His chest heaves up and down but his eyes remain tightly shut.
“He’s out.” The doctor speaks. “As was expected.”
“Take him back to the cell.” Madame? “If the reactor doesn’t work, you know what to do.”
Rough arms release the straps and lift his arms. He’s being carried between two tall men, as he notices his feet do not touch the ground.
His eyes open and he can see the halls through blurry vision. His head drops from exhaustion, his ears finally stop ringing, but something else now fills the halls. Screams echo through the concrete wall, it slowly gets louder as the two guards carry Tony through the passageways.
Walking past an open door, Tony makes out the Soldier. But he isn’t the intimidating shadow he recognises from before. His head is tilted back on the seat and is being clamped still by two electric plates. The mouth guard in his mouth muffles his screams by very little. Another couple of steps and the Soldier is out of Tony’s vision.
This place is a torture chamber. He can’t afford to wait for Nick’s rescue. He’s got to get out of here now and fast.
Notes:
I'm so sorry for my short hiatus. Will try to get back on track! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And make sure to leave a comment with your thoughts!
Chapter 5: Recall
Summary:
Recall (verb)
: bring (a fact, event, or situation) back into one’s mind; remember.
Chapter Text
Instantly Tony notices the way the guards start to distance themselves from Tony and the cell. Only showing up for the single meal of the day.
After the third day following this routine, Tony asks Yinsen about it. Yinsen had continued to tell heartwarming stories about his daughter, but Tony knew he was stalling.
Yinsen places the plastic spoon down on the tray holding his baked beans. He crosses his arms and looks Tony in the eye. “They are afraid of what might happen if they get too close to you.”
Tony squints his eyes in confusion. Yinsen waves his hand at Tony, “with that serum cursing through your body.”
“They put this shit in my body.” Tony gestures to himself, “shouldn’t they know what is supposed to happen?”
Yinsen looks down and moves his baked beans around the tray with his spoon, “they know what the serum can do.” Yinsen points at Tony’s chest, “they do not know what will happen with the reactor.”
Tony looks down at the unknown object engraved in his chest. “Why aren’t you scared?”
Yinsen takes a spoonful and shrugs, “Well, I made it.”
Tony huffs a laugh and settles against the cool wall. The temperature in the cell had immediately become comfortable after returning. Must be whatever they injected him with. Serum? Was that it?
The Madame obviously knows who Tony is. But if this is to tie off loose ends, then why hasn’t she just killed Tony? Instead of using him as a lab rat. Probably being killed off was too much of a mercy for him. For a Stark.
Curling himself up in a ball, Tony slowly succumbs to a restless slumber.
His parents were arguing again. Mother was never happy when Father had a bit too much to drink before driving.
“Howard, pull over right this instinct, you are going to get us all killed!” Maria exclaimed in the passenger seat.
Howard ignored her and continued to drive, “I am perfectly fine. I have driven with much more alcohol running through my system.” Howard catches Tony’s eyes in the rear view mirror and winks.
Tony glances back down at his rubix cube. He had completed it twice already and was beginning to mix it up for a third round when a loud bang occured and his mother’s scream, before pain erupted on the side of his head.
Coming to, Tony makes out a shadowed figure heading to the car. Silver arm glistening from the damp street lights. Tony notices both his parents are non responsive and does as he had practiced many times before. He quickly pulls down the seat compartment and slides his slim body into the hole connecting him to the trunk of the vehicle.
Before pulling up the seat compartment Tony notices a blue glow in a protective case, sitting in the trunk. Thinking fast Tony slides it into the backseat of the car. Surely this is what the scary man wants. Then he can leave. And his parents would be safe.
Closing the compartment, Tony closes his eyes until he hears the life ending bang.
Tony gasps awake, his heart aching from a different pain. It wasn’t the first time he’d had the dream. The memory. But it was the first time he had remembered the case of glowing blue. Why had he forgotten that moment?
It had to be karma. The glowing blue liquid that he had sacrificed in hopes of his parents' lives, was the very same liquid that they injected him with. Some cruel trick of fate. His fathers destruction was now cursing through his veins.
The super soldier serum.
Tony jolts awake, the shattering noise of the gates echoing against the brittle cell. Tony peels his eyes open from the interrupted sleep. He’d finally managed to get back to sleep, his body having given up and surrendered itself to exhaustion.
Mr. Punchable face has entered the cell but instead of grabbing Tony like anticipated, he grabs Yinsen roughly and storms out. Tony scrambles to his feet, the cell swaying with the abruptness of his movements.
Reaching the cell gates as they slam shut, Tony shouts, “Where are you taking him?!”
Yinsen meets his eyes, an odd sense of peace flowing through them. Tony only looks away when they turn the corner.
He shakes the bars, they rattle and creak but Tony’s grief of losing Yinsen stops him from registering the churning metal under his grip.
He continues screaming until only the echoes of the corridor shout in reply.
Monica storms down the halls of SHIELD HQ, her face drawn into a constant scowl as she passes a group of trainees in the gymnasium. Monica should’ve been able to say hi to her brother, give him shit for being the oldest newbie in the group.
Instead she was hurrying down the hall, tragedy gripping her heart. Monca opens the door, not bothering to knock and sits down on the couch arranged in the corner of the situation room. Maria and Coulson give her a polite nod before exiting the room, giving her privacy with her father.
Nick turns away from the whiteboard, pictures pinned in an order only a few would know. In the centre was Tony’s face. “This is very detective vibes,” She waves to the whiteboard.
Nick comes and joins her on the couch and they both stare at the board. Nick finally turns and looks at her. She notices the lines on his face and aches in his eyes. “Did you speak with Stane?”
Monica shakes her head, “the place is like a fortress.” She recalls her visit to Stark Industries. “I was able to catch Miss Potts, she has agreed to see if she can get anything.”
Nick nods, “Do you think she’ll be able to find any evidence.”
Monica smirks, “She’s a cute reception assistant. And knowing Stane he won’t suspect anything but her red high heels.”
Pepper Potts drops off a pen drive to Monica the next day.
“Is Miss Potts safe?” Coulson asks as Maria and Nick insert the drive into an outdated computer, not wanting to risk any viruses entering the SHIELD database.
Monica nods, “She’s under protective custody and is staying at one of the spare apartments on SHIELD base.”
Coulson nods in agreement.
The drive tells them everything they already suspected. The moment Obidiah Stane found out about Howard’s orphaned son, he contacted a woman under the alias of Madame Hydra. Ordering for the kill. Stane wants to keep the company to himself, having basked in the glory of wealth and power.
“This is the evidence we needed. Let's go take him down.” Monica exclaims, wondering why they are all still standing around the vintage tech.
“We can’t.” Maria gets up from the chair and Nick takes her spot, scrolling through the evidence.
“What do you mean we can’t?”
“You’ve only been an agent for a couple of years, you're still young. But we have to be very careful about this. We know Tony has been taken by the Hydra woman, but for all we know he’s already dead.”
Monica opens her mouth to speak but Maria holds up a finger, “And if he is still alive - us storming in and arresting Stane is only going to send a number of catastrophic events that will lead to Tony’s death.”
Monica tries to make eye contact with her father but to no avail, “So you’re saying there is nothing we can do?”
Nick looks up from the computer and finally makes eye contact with her, “There’s always something we can do.”
Chapter 6: Rebellion
Summary:
Rebellion (noun)
: the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention.
Chapter Text
Yinsen never returns.
Tony doesn’t remember how long it’s been but the emptiness of the cell bores into his aching body. He’s watched the same punchable man return, the jiggling keys haunting him from his pocket, as he slides his single portion meal across the floor.
They haven’t been noticing the missing cutlery. He’s been sleeping on a pile of forks for days, waiting for them to come and take him away. To the same place as Yinsen.
Tony feels different. Feels angrier. No longer afraid. No longer hoping.
If he was going to be better than the soldier, their weapon. He was not going to let them rot his brain with metal plates. He wasn’t going to let them control him. He wasn’t going to let them take away who he is.
The plan was simple. With his body no longer fragile from the cold, his body had contorted into that of a slim but muscular figure. It had to have been the serum. It was taking its effect. He no longer had sore ribs, no longer felt the sharp pains of the reactor but instead fed from its glowing blue energy.
Tony wraps his hand around a handful of forks. The plastic ends are broken from pressure, causing sharp piercing ends.
This has to work. He’s got nothing else. He’s got no one else.
The familiar sound of the keys echo through the hall, like an alarm bell. His time is up, it’s now or never.
The keys scrap against the bars as he walks across the length of the cell. The familiar punchable face blocking out the remaining light of the day. His lips pursed as he sings a taunting tune.
Key’s in hand he grips the bars for balance as he lowers the tray to the ground, ready to slide into the cell.
Tony moves in an instant, aware of the way the guard has gotten sloppy, cocky. Six fork ends puncture the back of the guard’s hand. He doesn’t scream like Tony expects, instead he bares his teeth and reaches through the bars with his other hand to grip Tony’s throat.
Tony gasps but continues to twist the forks, twists and pushes. Hearing the snapping of the plastic, he hopes the guard will admit defeat. The blood starts dripping to the floor, the smell metallic and tangy.
Tony's vision starts blurring as his remaining hand grabs onto the guard’s wrist and squeezes. The crack is loud in his ear and he can suddenly breathe. He brings both hands up to his neck, the skin tender.
Tony’s focus comes back and he can make out the guard standing back from the bars, out of reach from Tony’s lethal body. The guard’s bloody hand is cradling his other wrist. The joint at an odd angle, crushed bones piercing the flesh. The guard is still accessing his injuries with rage when Tony notices the keys had fallen just on the inside of the bars.
Subtly Tony covers them with his barefoot, welcoming the sharp edges and cold metal. At the movement, the guard looks up, but not to his foot - to his face. The guard instantly tries to cool his expression from the pain he is feeling, but immediately fails as fear shines on his face. Without a backwards glance he is rushing down the hall, hands close to his chest.
Looking down, Tony uncovers the keys. His ticket out of here. Surprised by the lack of pain on his neck, Tony reaches up to find the skin no longer tender but practically fully healed. Tony moves his neck back and forth and side to side. No pain. Nothing.
Smiling to himself Tony throws the keys up and catches them in a hand, he could get used to this.
Getting out of the cell was only the first step. He needed to get through the fortress of guards on top of finding the exit. He’s only ever been to and from the lab and that was in a drug induced haze.
He could do this. His body was stronger. He has some intense amount of healing abilities. This was going to be a piece of cake. Captain America tore down many German facilities in world war ll. And now Tony had part of that same serum cursing through his veins, working in tandem with his centre power core.
But first, Tony looks down at himself. His bare feet and stained tactical pants. He needed some unsuspecting clothes to cover the blue glow. If he was gonna get out, he didn’t need common folk, taking in his new glowing upgrade.
Hallway stretches on for a while as Tony takes cautious steps towards the end. He passes plenty of empty cells, and by the smell it did not end well for them. How many people had been used for this same serum? How many were sacrificed and experimented on for a worthless cause?
The thought made Tony sick to his stomach.
The metal doors come up to his right and Tony takes a deep breath. He’s doing this. No one is coming to save him. He’s only got himself with Yinsen gone. Yinsen. For Yinsen.
With no more hesitation Tony swings open the door to an empty room. Memories flash behind Tony’s eyes as he takes in the suspended metal plates and the dentist chair in the centre of the room. A mix of emotions flood his mind. The terror from the night he lost his parents, the sorrow for the man succumbed to those decisions.
No matter how much Tony wanted to be angry at the Asset . He couldn’t, not at someone who’d been branded as an Asset to this group of madmen - lead by a madwoman. Someone who’d been tortured and brainwashed to do such horrid things.
Sucking in stale air, Tony walks straight through the room to the door on the far wall. Unfortunately this door does not open so easily, fiddling with the ring of keys, Tony eventually finds a rusted blue one that fits the lock.
This room is worse. Rows of people in upright pods fill the sides of the narrow room. The only light is that of the glows in the tanks, illuminating the ghostly pale faces trapped within.
Hypnotised, Tony walks closer to the first pod. This one has a woman, her hair grown untamed and eyes sunken. Her body is full of mattered muscles covered in stretch marks, as if her body didn't have time to prepare for the extra mass.
Moving along the line, Tony takes in all the differences and similarities of each trapped individual. One pod leaves Tony breathless. While other pods have a thick film around the glass, this one is clean from frequent use. The subject wears a muzzle and protection goggles, as if ready for a mission at any instant.
The silver arm, still speckled with blood. Heart pounding Tony backs up only to lean up against another pod. If Tony were to take a guess, he’d say at least two dozen of the serum induced soldiers were trapped here.
Tony barely gets to the door and into the torture chamber before he hurls his guts. Tears spilling of his checks. Human experimentation was a sick twisted hobby for psychopaths.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he tries to get the image of them out of his brain. Pulling on his hair and clenching his teeth.
He needs to get out
He needs to get out
He needs to get out
Tony opens his eyes to find a gun pressed against his forehead. Fuck.
Chapter 7: Regenerated
Summary:
Regenerated (verb)
:(of a living organism) grow (new tissue) after loss of damage.
Chapter Text
Regenerated
“You can’t kill me.” Tony stares at Mr Punchable face. Searching for any hit of pain as he holds the gun with his bandaged hands. Damn, this guy was committed.
I bead of sweat drips down his forehead, bingo.
The guard clenches his teeth and presses the gun harder, the harsh metal digging in.
Tony licks his dry lips, “I’m pretty sure, Madame wants to keep me alive,” he gestures with his hand to the reactor. “With all this valuable shit cursing through my veins.”
Rolling his eyes, Tony strikes. He kicks up his leg, hitting the already shattered wrist. Punchable goes down with a hurtling scream. Tony comes up behind him and puts him in a deathlock just like Nick taught him, except this time he has the serum pulsing in his blood.
The nails digging into his forearm do nothing to stop the pressure on his throat as he passes out.
Tony instantly lets go of the man and gets up. Looking at his body and back, Tony shrugs and starts stripping the unconscious man.
Thankfully Mr Punchable had a similar size build to Tony’s new growth. Tony stretches his arms, getting used to the tight coverage over the reactor, and trying not to flinch at the friction it causes.
Picking up the gun, Tony gets familiar with the mechanics of the weapon. The metal heavy in his grip. Swallowing Tony tucks it into his waistband, hoping he never has to use it.
Tony starts for the door leading to the hall before he remembers the corridor of trapped super soldiers. Feeling his gun tight against his torso, Tony pulls it out and grips it tightly. Tony turns and enters the room, only one mission in mind.
The gun shots ring loud against the shattering glass. One clean shot through the forehead. Tony moves down. Another pull of the trigger. One less weapon. One less victim. One less prisoner.
Tony gets into a rhythm until he comes across the murderer of his parents. The man that had no say. The victim. Just like he was. But instead of a victim of parentless exploits, he was the victim of his own free will. A victim of the gang of sick scientists and their madwoman they follow blindly.
No matter how much Tony knew he should pull the trigger. How much he should want to. He couldn’t .
Tony clenches his eyes shut and while he exhales he presses his finger down on the trigger.
The sharp noise of metal breaking, causes him to open his eyes. The hiss of frozen air leaving the pod, makes the glass fog up. Tony turns and leaves. Knowing he might have unleashed his doom.
Or his saviour.
The bland walls continue to be silent and uneventful as he travels further, to what he hopes is the exit. The absence of guards raises his neck hairs with goosebumps.
Punchable had to have had his injuries partially patched up, they knew something had happened. Yet, where was everyone? This couldn’t be a coincidence.
Raising his near empty gun Tony continues to be cautious as he turns every bend and follows every staircase. Still no sign of light or the darkness of soldiers.
The walls rattle. Little stones fall to the ground as the concrete sways and contorts. Tony covers his head as dust travels up the hallway. A scream follows soon after, Tony is running before his mind has time to catch up with him.
The hall ends at a dead end. Only one metal door positioned to the side. Tony clenches the gun, holding it like a lifeline. He knew this was a trap but he knew that scream, he knew that man. That man had a family, and Tony was going to reunite them. Like he promised.
Shaking his head Tony pulls the door with more force than necessary and he flinches as the door hinges buckle.
Tony instantly knows where all the guards are as his eyes adjust to the harsh light of the mystery room. The room is surrounded by guards as they barricade the perimeter, all guns pointed at the intruder.
In the centre stands the madwoman herself, her pistol aimed at one very calm Yinsen. His eyes still convey that sense of understanding and peace, almost as if he is content with the position they find themselves in.
”I was wondering how long it’d take for you to kill Rumlow. He’d always been a pain in my ass.” Madame, waves the gun around and begins to impersonate the man with a deep voice, “Why didn’t I get the serum? I wanted the serum. Bluh bluh bluh.” She looks straight at Tony, “Isn’t that annoying?”
She steps back a step from Yinsen and starts to circle him, like a shark. “So thank you,” Madame gestures to Tony and his clothes with the gun. “You did me a favour.”
Tony swallows, keeping his eye on the pistol as she waves it around the room, knowing it could land a hit at any moment. This woman was unpredictably frightening. “I did not kill him.”
Madame pouts, “well, that’s a real shame.”
She backs up behind Yinsen and touches his arm with the barrel of the gun. “I had such high hopes for you Anthony.”
Tony glares at Madame but holds his own gun up in a serunder, “You want me right?”
Madame tilts her head to the side. Tony gestures to himself with the tip of his gun, “I have what you want. I'll come with you - willingly” Tony buts in when Madame opens her mouth to interfere. (What you want)
Tony flickers his pleading eyes to Madame, “Just let Yinsen go.”
Madame put the barrel of the gun under her chin, as if she's resting on her hand, not a weapon that could end her life. She thinks for a moment, and then looks up at the ceiling.
Tony tries to gesture with his eyes to Yinsen, that he will get him out. That he’ll get to see his family. Yinsen only smiles somberly in return.
Madame gives her guards a look and two men instantly stand to attention. Tony raises his gun again as the two well built men come forward.
“Now Anthony, I know you have only one bullet remaining in that little gun of yours.” Madame smirks. “Who are you going to waste it on?”
Distracted by the advancing men, Tony doesn’t notice the needle in Yinsen’s neck until he falls to the ground. Tony screams in anguish and flings himself at the fallen man.
No one stops him as he leans over Yinsen and tries to understand what is happening. His eyes have gone a glowing red and his skin has begun to burn a fiery red. Tony goes to hold his head, but instantly pulls away as the touch instantly burns his skin.
“You see, the serum had gone through a few improvements before we injected it into your body, Anthony.” Her green heels click on the concrete as she circles Tony and Yinsen. Like a predator ready to attack.
“While what we were wanting to achieve was to replicate the serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America.” Her hand brushes Tony’s back as she completes another circle around the pair. (to, there’s a space between the t & o)
Yinsen grips Tony’s hand and writhes around. Tony suffers the pain and he grips the hand tighter. Yinsen tries to mouth words and Tony gets closer to be able to make them out.
Tony closes his eyes in grief to avoid the tears as Madame continues her monologue.
“What I have injected into Dr Ho’s body is a failed attempt at the very same serum cursing through your own body.
He won’t die but the pain would be unbearable for the rest of his life. Feeling like his insides are burning the rest of his body. Like he’s burning alive. It’s incurable.” She bends down so her face is only millimetres away from Tony.
In the dim light, Tony can see the dark streaks of green that are mixed within her black hair.
Tony looks back down, his face screwed to stop the emotion from showing in his face. Madame pats his cheek, “You know what you have to do.”
Before Tony can think, he picks up the gun and pulls the trigger. He meets Madame’s eyes, his fury on full display as he leaps over Yinsens lifeless body and wraps his hand around her neck.
He’s aware of the guards trying to pull him off her but he is relentless. He is pissed off.
Madame’s shocked face is gasping for air as she tries to form the words, “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Tony clenches his jaw and squeezes his hand just a bit more, until he can hear her throat starting to give out. “He’s with his family now.”
Chapter 8: Released
Summary:
Released (verb)
: allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free.
Chapter Text
Releashed
Tony finally lets the guards pull him off Madame. She falls to the ground gasping as she massages her bruised neck. She looks Tony in the eyes as she looks up, her green tainted hair falling into her eyes.
Tony never thought she’d be kneeling before him, while the circumstances are not ideal, Tony can see the appeal. The need for power, the need for strength over another human being.
Tony comes back to reality as the guards tighten their grip on Tony’s forearms. Madame coughs and makes her way to her feet, waving off guards when they offer to help.
“You need to understand Anthony.” Her voice is raspy and obviously hurts when she speaks, but that does not stop her.
“Captain America lost Bucky Barnes.” She steps closer to Tony and Tony glares. She sees this and does a sidestep, beginning her circling again, wanting to regain her intimidation. Tony feels a sense of pride from frightening the powerful woman.
“And he became the greatest hero America ever had. No, the world ever had.” Tony watches as she comes around, her voice slowly regaining its velvet softness.
“I am not Captain America.”
Madame chuckles, “of course not. Your’e going to be better. But first we needed to see if you had the potential.” She steps closer, going against her instinct, “Potential to do what is needed.”
Tony looks at Yinsen, his body having been forgotten and left to run cold. Tony swallows his tears and looks Madame dead in the eye, “Killing people?” Tony shakes his head, “That isn’t heroic.”
Madame laughs, walks over to Yinsen and kneels down, she brushes the back of her hand down the side of his face, almost like a loving mother - almost.
“The death? Of course not, but making the sacrifice play? Laying down the wire for someone else. Even if it kills you to do it.” She clicks her tongue and raises from the cold floor. The green suit, now full of wrinkles, still manages to catch her stunning figure.
Tony spits at the ground. “You're sick.”
Madame smirks, “maybe I am.” She seems to have forgotten her senses as she comes even closer to Tony, too wrapped in her monologue. “But I’m doing it for the good of the world”
Tony watches as she steps closer, so close he can smell her perfume, a forestry essence. Tony doesn’t wait to smell the trees any longer and does the one thing he can do.
Headbuts her. Hard.
The impact doesn’t knock her out like Tony was hoping but the shock from the sudden movement causes the two guards to slack their grip just enough, Their obvious affections and concerns for their boss causes the logic to go out the window and Tony has an easy opening to escape.
He pulls his arms free with little effort and elbows them simultaneously in the gut. Madame looks up at Tony, rage in her eyes as blood gushes from her nose. She screeches and the wall of guards all step forward. Their movements all in time as they circle Tony in.
With each guard getting closer Tony knows the only way out is to fight. He reaches back into his mind. The SHIELD training sessions, the lessons with Nick, the encouragement from Monica. He has to get out. He has to know for certain that Monica was okay.
Tony doesn’t know what happens. His mind just closes off and all he is doing is feeling the pressure under his knuckles. Skin collides as guards shout orders.
He’s lost sight of Madame, but that’s not his priority right now. Right now he fights.
Gunfire erupts. Rounds tore into Tony’s torso - blood sprayed - but he keeps moving. Each wound heals before the guard’s eyes. They share a look of terror before Tony grabs a barrel of a riffle.
He crushes it like tinfoil and he lets it drop to the ground with a clatter. He grabs the guard by the neck and squeezes.
Another guard swings a baton, Tony catches his wrist and throws him into the ceiling. He bounces off the light and crumbles to the ground unconscious in a heap.
One tries to tackle him, Tony doesn’t move. The serum is cursing through his veins, he can feel it bubbling with raw energy. Tony grabs the guard by the vest and hurls him backwards through the wall. It crumbles on top of him.
A guard stabs a blade into Tony’s side. He winces and grabs the man’s arm, and breaks it in three places with a single twist. Then carefully Tony pulls the knife from his own flesh, watching the skin stitch itself back together with a blue glow.
Tony looks up. One guard remains. He holds up his gun with shaking fingers, Tony watches him swallow and steps in front of him, he politely moves the gun out of his line of fire with a single finger.
He grabs the man by his collar, “You signed up to create monsters, you didn’t think one would fight back?”
Tony picks him up effortlessly and tosses him towards the door. Knocking it down with the force of the impact.
Tony slowly comes back to himself. His shirt was torn in many places, revealing the freshly healed wounds. His knuckles dripped unknown blood onto the concrete.
Looking around Tony begins to grasp the concept of what he’s done. The scattered bodies that surround him. Limbs mounted and disjoined. What had he done?
What had he become?
The smell of blood follows Tony as he continues through the hall, having left the bodies in his wake. It killed Tony to leave Yinsen behind. To have to have shot him, but it was what he wanted. Yinsen told him his last words - that his family was dead, that he had always planned to join them.
Tony clenches his eyes shut, shutting them against the harsh memory of killing his loyal containment partner. He was so innocent. So good.
Tony had never killed anyone before. But in the last hour he had killed more than a dozen. After witnessing his parents death, he hated the thought of a life lost. And now he’s no better than the woman that trapped him to begin with.
He’d never be a hero, no matter what sick twisted tale Madame was trying to web into his head. Heroes don’t kill people.
Where had she wandered off to? Tony clenches his empty fists, he should have grabbed a gun from one of the guards. He just felt safer having a weapon within his grasp. He guessed he was the weapon now. The serum in his blood was a weapon.
A weapon he had yet to control.
Chapter 9: Repurposed
Summary:
Repurposed (verb)
: adapt for use in a different purpose
Chapter Text
A desert. He was in the middle of a desert.
The sun scorched down on him, the bright sun so blinding compared to the artificial faded light of his confinements.
He’d made it a couple miles from the concrete building that held him. For how long? He didn’t know.
Thankful for at least the thick boots protecting him from the heated sand, he tries to ignore the blistering red bleeding through his shirt’s rips and tears.
Why did the shirt have to be black? He was a magnet for the parching rays of heat.
He was so thirsty.
Another hour passes by. Was it an hour? Was it two? He wouldn’t know. He’d been walking for a while.
Feeling his back blister then heal. Blister then heal. It hurt so much, the burst of energy to try and catch up with the red burns contaminating his back, the lack of energy in his legs.
He’s overexerted himself. He’s not used to the enhanced power, he hasn’t given his body a chance to catch up to his new found strength.
He has a headache.
Tony looks up from following his shadow on the sand and tries to adjust his view through the heat haze. Buildings. It looked like a small town. Water. A phone. This could be his ticket back home.
Before Tony has a chance to think about the possibility of it being a hallucination, he is bolting down the sand dune.
Careful of his current look, Tony decides to stay on the outskirts of the little town. Looking through the alleys and small houses for a possibility to grab some essentials.
Coming to a small house Tony looks through the window. Noticing a small family sitting at a table. The table has two plates, one with half a loaf of bread and the other held a small lump of brown rice.
A male and female dish up almost half of the portions on a little girl’s bowl. The little girl, barely five, is too busy playing with her poorly stitched teddy bear to notice the unfair portion left for her parents.
Tony wonders what it’d be like. To have your parents give you their portion of food. Risking their health for your own. Howard was an alcoholic drunk, who often ate in his study. When he did join his family for dinner he was shouting and smashing the plates and glasses.
Tony often helped his mother clean up all the scattered glass that fell on the floor. His mother tried her best. But often got so stuck on how Howard acted that she lost her touch on how to be an appropriate mother.
Everything changed when Nick adopted him. He never pressured him to open up, only waited patiently. Making sure he was fed, showered and slept in a comfy bed. It was Monica that helped him understand his feelings.
Helped him know what grief was. Helped him process and feel assured that he was safe. Climbed into his bed when he had a nightmare so real he was paralyzed. Monica was the big sister he never knew he needed, she became like a clutch. And that scared him.
So when his time came for him to join her at SHIELD, he met his mate Rhodey at a bar and drank until he couldn’t stand. He’ll never forget the look of disappointment Monica gave him that morning. The same disappointed look that his mother gave Howard.
He apologised to Monica. To Nick. And to Rhodey. And they helped him study again for the next exam the following year.
Tony licks his cracked lips. All that and he still didn’t make the SHIELD entrance exam.
Moving back from the window, something catches his attention. His reflection. He’d changed so much.
Tony knew he’d always been a lanky kid. Too skinny, but not tall enough for it to make sense. But this serum had filled him out nicely. He wasn’t as buff as Steve Rogers was but he had a nice coverage of lean muscle. Making him look older.
While the shirt was thick, it didn’t cover the blue circle centered in his chest, the same blue that now enveloped his irises.
His tanned italian heritage skin only made the illuminated blue of his eyes stand out even more. The blue pulses with energy that heals his wounds.
Stepping back again, stunned, Tony decides to test a theory. He steps into a small shadow lining the building. He feels his body stop healing, and gives himself a breather, before looking at his reflection again.
His eyes were back to brown. As if he’d imagined it all.
A flood of engines fills his ears as he hears two jet planes fly past.
It happens fast. Before Tony can do anything, he watches as two missiles fire down onto the town. The words glisten like a laugh in Tony’s face, as the missiles reveal Stark Industries in bold lettering down the side.
The impact is instant as Tony flies back onto the hot sand.
Tony hears the screams, the cries. He feels the flames licking his skin. And he sees nothing.
Tony wakes again as he feels his skin stitching itself back together. The pain is sharp but bearable and Tony sits up to find the blue glow pulling his forearm together, pushing the bone back in place and replacing the scorched skin.
Reaching up to touch his face, Tony feels his skull being pushed together, the skin growing and his hair regenerate.
Tony looks up, hearing the remaining flames flicker in and out. The town is nothing but rubble. Tony gets up slowly, his ankle snapping back into place. He walks through the rocks that were only moments ago a wall of security for a family.
Tony’s foot hits something soft, Tony’s heart breaks as he kneels down and picks up the small teddy bear. His knees hit the rubble with force as he falls, devastated.
He looks at the bear, the eye barely hanging on from a stray thread. The body is covered in soot, you would never know what colour it used to be.
Tony rests his hand on the ground. Squeezes the dirt and sand.
And he screams.
Mysifuss on Chapter 1 Sat 31 May 2025 08:07AM UTC
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