Legends Never Die

Chapter Four

"What do you mean Fury's not on the planet?!?" Tony yells at Jarvis in horror, pacing around the room

As much as the pirate was a constant problem, he's really the only one to help Peter with this. 

"Miss, I am not sure" Jarvis says calmly, but with a touch of worry in his voice, "I scanned his vitals the last time he was seen 3 weeks ago and his vitals show anomalies that are not human". 

Tony rubs her face in frustration, "So he's either dead or has been dead for some time". 

"Tony,"Time says near her ear, "what makes you think he's dead? For all you know Fury's

 behind it.."

Tony lets out a tight sigh, "Well, that's a comfort....J, is there anything else we can do?".

 "No Miss, but it seems like Peter asked for Dr. Strange's help, but then changed his mind". 

Tony's breaths come in deeper, calmer. 

"So it seems like young Parker has decided that the world can know him as Spiderman '', Time said quietly.

 Tony looks at him incredulously, "I swear you're sounding more like Strange every day" she says softly,

 "Are you? Or are you spending too much time with said wizard?" She chuckled slightly. 

Time rested on her shoulder, trying to place some comfort for the small broken woman. 

"I know I sound like Strange, and how you saw him dust. So I can change my voice if you need me too?" 

Tony considers this for exactly 0.0001 seconds. 

"No, I'm not asking you to do that...it's just....I—" 

Soul butts in as she sees Tony struggling with her words.

 "You just feel responsible for Titan and for his safety during the final battle, along with the rest of your team". 

Tony drops her head in defeat, " Always have to be blunt, don't you?" She asked quietly, not expecting a response.

 It's Jarvis who contributes to the conversation, "You've always had a caring heart Tony, you've just been hurt so many times that you're starting to crack". 

Then pain that was very evident in his words, and how he called her by name, it was too much. 

Tony sank into a chair ,trying to not cry, but she never felt more proud of her baby. 

He broke through his programming, to tell her what she never told anyone else...that she cared. 

People close to her figured it out, but she never told anyone-and to have Jarvis say it, along with her name. 

"That's the second time you've said my name, J", Tony said softly, smiling brightly at her phone.

 "Well, are you surprised Tony? You've always defieded the impossible...doesn't shock me in the least that your AI is developing", said Time. 

They sat in silence, Tony's upstairs brain starting to click again, she asks another thing that is bothering her.

 "Why do you sing that song...the one about Legends?" She asked the stones, recalling all the times where she would either be in a panic or had not slept in longer than 50 hours- it always calmed her down. 

Time answered with a soft voice, "Because it's your song, Tony, it describes you". 

Tony doesn't know what to do with that, so she looked at Jarvis.

 "How's the rest of the team doing? They're probably swimming in problems". 

Jarvis lets out an airy chuckle, "Yes Miss, you could say that. Rogers 'returned' the stones to their correct places and stayed back in the past, so he has aged since. 

Peter is, well, Peter. 

Wanda trapped herself in an illusion of her and Vision together, I last heard from SWORD that she had escaped.

Barnes and Wilson are having run-ins with super soldiers, and the new 'Cap. America' was honorably discharged after a lack of good judgment on a mission. 

Wilson is the new Captain America, gifted with a suit from Wakanda. Barnes is trigger free due to B.A.R.F. 

Clint is with his family, finally retired. 

Bruce Banner is teaching at a local college, and is enjoying teaching". 

 Two things stuck in Tony's mind, one more loud than the other.

 "Wait..." she tapped her wrist twice and rotated it.

 "Please explain how, except for Time, you're all here and not scattered across the universe? Why are you hiding on me?" she asked, shocked. 

Time chuckled deeply, sending a warm feeling down her spine. 

"Not only are we here because we choose to be here, by being here we are keeping you immortal, plus we enjoy your company". 

A frown flickers across her face, "Immortal? Is it all of you combined, or what?" 

Reality speaks quietly, "You only need one stone in your body to be immortal, the rest are here because we choose to be. You are our favorite Midgardian".

 Tony mulls over this, but the other shoe drops.

 "BARF... that guy, um....Mysterio! That was Quinten Beck! He was an employee of mine that helped me create weapon drones. 

He created BARF, he must have used illusions on his attacks....Goddamn it, I'm such a fool". 

The tears start falling, and she begins to weep. 

She couldn't even protect Peter, because everything she did hurt him. 

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder, a small tentative hand. 

She looks up and sees Carson, her 12 year old brother. 

His dark blue eyes were filled with concern, as he will never admit out loud, but he loves his sister very much. 

So seeing her so lost and broken, it tore him up.

 He hugs her gently, not wanting to scare her like he had done before. 

Tony, who has not wanted to hurt them before, throws caution out the window and hugs him back. 

Carson tightens the hug with a smile, and they hug like there is no tomorrow. 

"It's okay, I got you, your safe here Quinn", he kisses her forehead, "I got you".

SOME MORE ANGST, CAN'T HELP IT

LOVE YOU ALL 3000