Broken Things Can Be Mended

Chapter 1

2nd April, 2016.
Siberia.

Toni Stark was called many things, a genius, a philanthropist, a heart stealer, a futurist, but fool wasn't one of them. Yet she felt like that lying cold on the white grounds in a hydra bunker on the lands of Siberia. And she hated it. Toni Stark was always proud of herself for her prediction skills. Everytime she took a step, she will predict it's outcome or you can say many others too. She always thought ahead of others, never making them realise. After all underestimation of an enemy can lead to downfall, and Toni liked her enemies to underestimate her. She can easily catch them offhanded. She learnt how to think ahead since Obidaih Stane. The person literally ripped her heart off only to give her a lesson, not to trust anyone. After that Toni never really gave her trust. Yeah Rhodey, Happy and Pepper were there, but even they weren't completely trusted. Rhodey even proved it, when he stole her suit which she designed for him only. But Toni had already expected it, even if she hoped against it, that for Rhodey- his priorities will always be with military.

She knew when Natalie Rushman came in her company as her PA. After all she was Toni Stark and she wasn't a genius just by the name. She caught the suspicious characters of the lady within first week itself. And that's when she realised that her father's organization has finally decided to intervene in her life, which Toni knew she didn't like a bit. She never trusted Natasha, after all she was a spy. And so Toni pulled up her public face mask infront of her, and acted completely oblivious to the knowledge, but when she saw the report it stinged. It did. Not many could hurt Toni Stark, but that report did. Iron Maiden: Yes. Toni Stark: not recommended. Nobody realised that Iron Maiden was nothing without Toni Stark. She was the one who made that suit, she was the one who could control it, the suit and Toni were one, they were a single entity, and Toni never understood how they couldn't simply get this soughted thing in their thick skulls. But soon Toni realised it was a tactic, to manipulate her, so she shrugged the comment off and continued her life the way she wanted and then the Avengers met and her life changed. For the first time since Stane, Toni forgot her lessons. Just in few months, the Avengers made their ways to her heart. She literally thought them as her family. The biggest surprise was when she saw the mark on Steve's arm. The circular mark with a star in the centre, just similar to hers. That day was celebrated by whole US, after all the best man of America and the most popular Bachelorette of world were soulmates.

Toni was never able to understand how this happened but then suddenly she was showered with love. Love from Steve, whose appreciation she wanted since her childhood; love from Avengers; love from whole world. Everything was so delightful that Toni forgot how twisted her life was, the universe, which seems to hate her so much that it can't see her happy, decided to intervene. For that moment everything was just full of roses, happiness and love became her friends and Toni forgot the earlier lessons that life taught. And then finally her fates intervened. Fights began, between her and Steve. Both were like the opposite ends of magnets. And where opposites attracted, Toni and Steve never did. Steve was so much of his old principles. He wanted to treat her like a Princess, protect her like a princess. And where it looked good from another's prospect, Toni hated it. She wanted to tell him she was no damsel in distress, that she was strong enough to fight for herself. He wanted her to step down from being Iron Maiden. But she wanted to continue on her way to redemption.
Rhodey and Pepper were wary of their relationship. Hell even Happy always doubted that they will work together. But Toni still thought to give it a try. And thus, Iron Maiden took break for whole three months. Toni, being Toni, quickly came back as Iron Maiden and made Steve understand that she couldn't just sit and relax when the world was threatened. She tried to tell what she saw in the wormhole, what was coming. But Steve never understood, taking her worries as PTSD. Still Toni tried to work it out. She made plans for herself and the world and this led to the Ultron.