Sophia Strange: The Newest Avenger (Steve Rogers x OC)

10 - Surprise Message

Tony walked into the still empty Avengers Compound and looked around. There was still a little cosmetic work left to do to make the place seem like more than just a cold sterile environment and turn it into not just a training facility but a home for his team.

He had just completed the last work to be done on the new network and stood with his tablet by the primary computer station in the Compound Lab.

"Friday, you ready to make yourself comfortable in your new home?"

"It'll be nice to proverbially stretch my legs, boss. Looking forward to it."

"Alright then," he tapped a few buttons. "Beginning the transfer. See you back in a few minutes."

"Yes, boss. I'll let you know when the transfer is complete."

Tony nodded and set the tablet down on the workstation before turning to fiddle with a few things he'd already brought over from the Tower where'd he and everyone else had temporarily been living. He'd lost track of time until the familiar voice spoke from the speakers within the lab.

"Transfer complete, boss." Friday said.

"How does it feel?" Tony asked.

"It has that new car smell in here," Friday said and Tony chuckled at the AI. "Boss, I have a message and file waiting for you. It was in my memory banks but i couldn't access it while I was compressed with the mobile network."

"From who?"

There was a pause before the AI spoke again. "Boss... the message is from Vision."

Tony dropped the tool that had been in his hand. "How old is the message?"

Another pause. "The message and file are over five years old, boss. He had triggers on them so that they wouldn't appear until specified events occurred and as I said, I couldn't access it from the mobile network. I'm sorry, Boss."

"Friday, the fact that you have the capacity to apologize still shocks even me, and I created you." Tony tried to hold back the panic attack he felt creeping in as he went over to the main computer station. "I can't put this off can I?" He breathed out a deep breath. "Okay, play the message.

"Tony, I didn't know any other way to do this." Vision said. "If all goes as planned, the mind stone will be removed and I'll continue to be here in... some capacity. But as we all know, things don't always go as planned. If something happens and... and I don't make it–I've worked with Friday to download myself into her network. It's been a fast job and I don't know if it worked correctly, but I only have a few minutes before we leave for Wakanda. You're off planet somewhere going after Thanos. Captain Rogers and the others... we're what we can here to prevent what I fear is the inevitable." Vision seemed to look off into the distance for a few moments before looking back. "I only hope that Wanda doesn't have to do what I fear she will. For her. Please, Tony–if you return, if you get this and are able to–find a way for me to return. I find that I have much I wish to live for."

Tony gasped as he dropped into the chair at the station.

"Boss, I can confirm that I have a large file in storage that Vision attached to the message."

Tony's hand covered his mouth as he looked at the still image of vision and absorbed the message. "Oh my god. I–I've got to get him back." After another moment he jumped up. "Friday, contact Pepper, let her know I'm on my way back to the Tower. And make sure everyone is gathered when I get there."

*****

When Tony came walking in with tablet in hand, everyone was gathered around the common room, some on the couches, some standing around, talking amongst themselves and wondering what was going on.

Pepper had met him at tower entrance, as he'd asked, and he'd given her the short story version. She now held his hand as he nervously walked in and stood in front of the group. "Alright everyone, listen up!" Everyone turned their attention to him and he looked around, spotting the person he was looking for. "Um, Wanda, you might want to have a seat for this."

Wanda frowned and moved to sit next to Sophia on the couch. "Tony, what's going on?" she said with concern. "I can feel the anxiety pouring off of you."

"Um, yeah–well. As you all know I was up at the compound today, getting Friday loaded back into the mainframe there. She's back at home and enjoying the extra space. As a result of that extra space, a message was discovered that had been held in storage, inaccessible until she was back in a mainframe large enough to handle all the data."

"Can you speak in layman's terms, Tony? For those of us who are a hundred years old with little technological expertise."

"The extra space on the network at the compound allowed her to access a message and file that had been stored away... for over five years."

Everyone realized together the timing. Almost six years ago had been the snap that had sent half of them out of existence. But the connection to him being concerned about Wanda made her especially nervous as she thought about who had been around then that was no longer. "Tony... what was the message."

Tony fought back tears as he spoke. "I, um... I think I should just play it.... Friday... play the message."

Everyone sat or stood as still as stone as the message played. Tears poured down Wanda's face and Sophia held a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Everyone stayed silent when the message was done. It was Wanda who finally spoke up. "Can you do it?"

Tony sighed. "With the right help, I think so. But the question isn't can I–the question is, should I?"

"What do you mean, Tony?" Steve asked.

"I think what he means is–the last time we did some thing like this we ended up with Ultron before Vision was created. Are we prepared to do this again? Are you all prepared for that?"

"I remember quite a bit of hostility," Tony said. "Things are... different now. I won't do it if everyone isn't on board."

Steve came forward and stood by Tony, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Things are different now. And Vision is a part of this family. We got Nat back. Let's get him back, too."

Tony looked at Wanda with fear in his eyes. "I–I can't promise what he'll be like without the Mind Stone. I don't know..."

Wanda stood and came over to him. "Tony... if there's even a chance... please... please try."

Pepper squeezed his hand gently and he nodded. "Okay... okay we'll do it."

Wanda hugged him tight and after a moment pulled back.

"Bruce, you still keep in touch with Helen?"

"Of course."

"You get her to the compound as soon as possible. I'll contact Shuri in Wakanda. We need all the best minds we can get on this. Everyone else, start packing. We move in next week."