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Tony awoke to the sounds of children laughing and shouting over a video game. Their voices carried up the stairs and Tony realized that if Mrs. Rhodes was not shushing them then it was past time for him to get up. He had slept through the night without nightmares or sleepwalking disturbing him. Comfortable in Rhodey’s old bedroom, he had slept better than he had in over a week. He stood with minimal pain in his feet. He showered, bandaged his feet put on nice jeans and a dress shirt and jacket and pulled on the work boots he kept for visiting job sites. The work on the tower repairs was supposed to be done today, but they fit easily over his bandages and he always found the workmen responded better when he looked more like an engineer visiting a job site and less the billionaire businessman.
He joined the family for breakfast, Mama Rhodes stuffing him until he feared he would explode, as she complained once more that he was too skinny, just as she had at their first meeting when he was a scrawny 14 year old kid. She sent him on his way with enough food to feed an army, this time it might all get eaten when he shared it with the enhanced appetites of the team. He promised to call more often and was hugged once more as he was sent on his way, with even Happy having to promise to take care of himself, so he could keep looking after Tony.
$$$
The meeting with the contractors went well, and everything at the tower was ready for the return of the team. SI always let as many employees as possible have from December 23rd through January 1st off, so Tony had minimal meetings. The team spent the days watching movies, playing some of the games they gave each other for Christmas and enjoying some team bonding time. Tony still disappeared into the lab for most of the day, but he made an effort to join them meals and activities. On December 30th, Bruce declared Tony fully healed and ready to return to active duty.
“Great now you’ve jinxed us and some villain is going to want to disrupt the New Year’s activities.” Clint grumbled.
Bruce glared at him while cleaning his glasses. “It is supposed to be dangerously cold tomorrow night. Steve and I run hot, but the rest of you…”
“I know how to dress for a Russian winter, plus with the red room tampering, you need not worry about me, Dr. Banner. And I will make sure someone wears something with sleeves.” She glared at Barton.
“Hey, I know when I need to wear my long johns.” Clint protested,“ I can dress myself.”
“I doubt that.” The room dissolved into giggles as Natasha and Tony realized they had both mumbled that response.
Bruce looked over at Tony, who sighed. “I’ll be fine, science bro. I’ve got my suit to keep me warm.”
“You aren’t going in the Iron Man armor.” Rogers didn’t seem to realize that he was doing his “Captain America is disappointed in you” voice and stare.
“No…the undersuit.” Tony took in the confused looks around him and elaborated. “In the armor I fly at high speeds at high altitudes. It gets cold enough for ice to form on the suit. I can use the reactor to heat the outside of the armor to keep me flying and my undersuit to keep me from freezing. So if I wear the undersuit under my regular suit tomorrow then JARVIS will keep me nice and warm.”
$$$
New Year’s Eve brought the team to Time’s Square for the celebrated ball drop. They attended the SI charity gala, did a few interviews and then stepped out onto the balcony for the big event. Steve stared in awe at the ball so high above the square. “It looks bigger than it did when Bucky and I watched it drop in 1939, brighter too.”
Tony smirked, “Well, the first ball was about 5 feet in diameter and lit by 100 25 watt incandescent bulbs. This one is nearly twelve feet in diameter and has 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles lit by 32,256 Light Emitting Diodes, so yes, it is bigger and brighter than back then.”
The final countdown began, “10, 9, 8…”
“Light Emitting what?” Steve asked confused over the roar of the crowd shouting, “7, 6, 5…”
“LEDs, tiny little lightbulbs, use much less energy than the old incandescent bulbs.” Bruce explained over the cries of “4, 3, 2…”
“And I can use them in these!” Tony held aloft a tiny drone. “One, JARVIS lauch.”
As the shouts of Happy New Year filled the air and confetti rained down, thousands of tiny drones sprang to life and light. At first they flew patterns that looked like traditional fireworks, and then they began to form complex patterns as a purple arrow cross the sky. A red spider with white hourglass was followed by an outline of the Hulk perched on the top of a building like King Kong. Finally images of the Captain’s shield and Iron Man flew across the sky before dissolving into more traditional firework patterns again. Finally Happy New Year was spelled across the sky and the displayed ended. Tony popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. “Here’s to a happy and hopefully peaceful new year!”