The SHIELD Quinjet.
It hovered silently for a moment before extending its landing gear and touching down on a secure helipad just a few levels below the rooftop.
Out stepped Nick Fury—Director of SHIELD.
His long black coat trailed behind him, one eye hidden behind his signature eyepatch, as he stared up at the scorched skyline with a frown deep enough to silence a room.
Behind him, several tactical agents—armed but weapons lowered—stood at attention, waiting for orders.
Fury glanced to his side, where Agent Hill had just arrived via a second jet.
"Get a visual on the primary asset."
Hill gave a silent nod and moved to access the upper-level feeds.
Fury, meanwhile, activated his communicator.
"Satellite confirms it—Tony Stark just turned a rooftop brawl into a full-blown fireworks show," he muttered. "And the public caught every damn second."
Down on the streets, crowds continued recording on their phones. News helicopters swirled overhead, flooding the skyline with camera lights and swirling speculations.
A reporter's voice crackled through a nearby comm-feed:
"—a mysterious figure, assumed to be Stark in his advanced armor, was seen engaging in high-altitude combat with an unknown hostile suit. Authorities are not confirming anything at this time, but multiple eyewitnesses claim they saw Tony Stark flying—"
Fury turned to his team.
"Contain the scene. I want every recording pulled—from phones, cameras, drones, security feeds. Scrub it. Wipe it clean."
One SHIELD tech hesitated. "Sir, Stark's identity as Iron Man may already be—"
"I said clean it," Fury snapped. "Even if the press runs wild with it, I don't want a single file left unaccounted for on our end."
He walked to the edge of the platform and looked up just as Tony and Pepper appeared, descending a battered stairwell slowly, side by side.
Fury narrowed his eye.
"He really went and did it," he muttered.
"Sir?" Hill asked.
Fury turned to her.
"Tony Stark just revealed a prototype war machine to half of Los Angeles. Took down a rogue weapons tycoon turned mechsuit psycho, using tech he built in secret. He's reckless. He's dangerous."
He turned back, watching as Tony spoke quietly to Pepper, their steps slow but deliberate.
"…but he's exactly the kind of bastard this world's going to need."
Hill raised an eyebrow. "Should we activate the protocol?"
Fury nodded once. "Not yet. But have it ready."
He pulled a sleek black folder from inside his coat. A white label stamped on the front read:
THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE.
He snapped it shut.
"Get the files prepped. And call Phil—let him handle Stark personally."
Meanwhile, back with Tony and Pepper…
Pepper gently touched the gash along Tony's side, concern etched deep in her eyes. He winced, but offered a reassuring nod.
"I've already called Doctor Alex," she said quickly, her voice taut with urgency.
Tony gave a slight grin. "Good. Could use the reinforcements."
The wound wasn't fatal, but it was serious. A red ballistic burst had clipped him during the rooftop clash, gouging his side just under the armor plating. If not for Spectra's barrier, it would've been much worse.
"JARVIS," Tony muttered, leaning against a support beam, "note this down—Mark III's side plating needs defensive upgrades. Tighten that sector."
"Noted, sir," came JARVIS's calm reply.
Pepper glanced up again, clearly still worried. "You should rest. Let the others handle the aftermath."
Tony shook his head, breathing harder than usual. "No time. If Obie had all this running… we don't know what else he left behind."
"Don't worry," Pepper said, her voice firmer now. "I dug into his records myself. He was a lone wolf. Paranoid. He didn't trust anyone enough to share his secrets."
She squeezed his hand. "There's no one else. It ends with him."
Tony nodded, though his eyes lingered on the damaged skyline—until the space near the rooftop shimmered.
From within the distortion stepped Alex, calm and confident, like he'd walked through a breeze instead of dimensions.
"You look like hell," Alex said plainly, approaching with a faint glow in his hand.
Tony smirked. "You're late."
"I came the second Pepper called. Next time, try summoning me before the rooftop explodes," Alex quipped dryly.
He pressed a glowing palm to Tony's side. Soft golden light poured into the torn flesh, calming the pain and knitting tissue back together with radiant chi.
Tony exhaled as the pain dulled. "Glad you're here."
"I figured your little 'talk' with Obadiah escalated into a full boss battle," Alex said, his eyes scanning the carnage.
Tony gave a wry laugh. "Yeah… one hell of a level-up."
Pepper moved aside, activating her StarkComm. "I'll make sure security locks this place down. No press, no suits, no leaks."
She turned back. "You rest. I'll take care of the cleanup."
Then she vanished down the stairwell, already dialing someone as she disappeared into the haze.
Alex watched her go and murmured, "She's good."
Tony nodded, smiling faintly. "Yeah… she is."
"You've got a solid one there, Stark. Loyal, sharp, and brave. Wife material," Alex teased with a smirk, nudging him gently.
Tony scoffed, half-laughing. "I'm not exactly marriage material, you know that. Every woman I've dated ends up leaving, suing, or ghosting."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well… you don't exactly make it easy. But how long do you think you can dodge the real ones before they stop waiting?"
Tony didn't answer immediately. His gaze drifted again to the distant skyline, lit by the smoldering remains of the Iron Monger suit.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"…Do you think she even likes me?"
Alex chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Tony, I think she does. You're brilliant, rich, and somehow charming—but not for the reasons you think."
Tony let out a dry laugh. "I sleep with a different woman every month. Sometimes every week."
Alex tilted his head. "Exactly. And most of them? They're with you for your fame, your face, or your wallet. Not your heart."
Tony was silent for a moment, but something flickered behind his expression.
Alex's tone softened. "But Pepper? She's different. She stuck by you when you were arrogant, half-dead, and spiraling out of control. That kind of loyalty isn't bought."
Tony sighed, dragging a hand through his messy hair. "I don't know how to be the kind of guy she deserves."
"Maybe not yet," Alex said, "but the guy who just flew into the sky, fought his former mentor, and saved half the city? That guy's getting close."
Tony gave a tired nod, his lips twitching at the edges.
"…You think she'd say yes?"
Alex smirked. "Not if you ask her while bleeding on a rooftop."
That finally earned a quiet, genuine laugh from Tony.
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