Iron Queen (Stephen Strange x Toni x T'Challa)

Chapter One, Business Trip Gone Wrong

Chapter One, Business Trip Gone Wrong

When Rhodey awoke the following morning stumbling sleepily towards the kitchen he found Stephen in the kitchen nursing -  no doubt his second mug of black coffee - while making blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes.
"Morning Stephen." Rhodey yawned, slumping against the counter while he waited for his coffee that was reheating in the machine. "How was last night? Where's munchkin and mini munchkins?"
"W-what?" Stephen stuttered, eyes widened in alarm, coughing as his coffee went down the wrong way.

"Oh c'mon man! She's my sister. I did NOT need that imagery in my head thank you very much! I was asking about on-call." Rhodey protested in horror.
"Right." Stephen cleared his throat awkwardly but he had a minute smirk on his lips, despite being longstanding best friends both Stephen and Rhodey knew that anything were to ever happen between Stephen and Toni, Rhodey would always choose his baby sister's side, thankfully nothing ever had. "They're in the lab, Toni is working on the car and the kids are downstairs drawing. They wanted to be with her as much as possible."

"They were like that last night. Didn't even want their poor Uncle to move them from her." Rhodey sighed dramatically, shaking his head.
"Oh such a travesty." Stephen commiserates sadly, a sigh falling from his lips as the duo laughed. "Jarvis can you tell Toni, Peter and Kat breakfast is ready and if they don't hurry Uncle Rhodey and I will eat all the blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes."
"Of course Sir." Jarvis chuckled. It was only a few moments later as Stephen and Rhodey were setting everything on the table that they heard feet running up the stairs followed by shouts causing them to laugh.
"NO DADDY!!! No Uncle Rhodey!" Peter and Kat shouted, scrambling up the stairs, Toni's hands hovering behind them as if ready to catch them if they fell.

"Stephen Strange if you eat our blueberry pancakes you are sleeping on the sofa for an indefinite amount of time starting from tonight!" Toni shouted sternly, actually causing her husband to gulp nervously.
"I'm sorry my love it was the only way to get you three from the lab." Stephen apologised, wrapping his arms around her waist as they made it to the kitchen, kissing her temple lovingly. "I would like to spend time with my wife too."
"Hmm do we forgive Daddy and Uncle Rhodey for their mean trick, babies?" Toni asked her children who were helped into their seats by their Uncle.
"Nope."
"Then there's your answer." Toni teased, patting Stephen's cheek, laughing as she danced out of his hold. For the rest of the morning - after Toni washed up from breakfast - the five of them spent it curled up on the sofa watching several movies until Pepper turned up to remind Toni and Rhodey they should've been halfway around the world by now.

It then took a further hour for Toni and Rhodey to get out of the door as the twins started crying not wanting their Mama and Uncle to leave them but more-so Toni.
"I promise mini munchkins that Mama is going to be just fine. I'll look out for her and you know I always look after my sister, like you both look after each other." Rhodey assured them, hugging them tightly.
"Promise?" Peter and Kat asked, holding out their pinky fingers.
"I promise." Rhodey swore, linking his fingers with his own and pressing a kiss to their foreheads.
"Be good for Daddy and Auntie Hope and Pepper, and I see you soon." Toni whispered sadly, holding her babies close to her. "I love you tons."
"I love you three thousand, Mama." Peter and Kat whispered in between their cries.

* * *

On the flight over Toni had kept her promise to Hope and had filmed a rather drunk Rhodey trying - and failing - to flirt with the stewardess and the best part was when he saw the camera pointed at him and Toni giggling he just smiled at Toni and went back to what he was doing before dancing around the pole. At least Hope and Stephen would get a laugh out of it. It had been the same ever since M.I.T, out of all of them (especially as she was three years younger then them) Rhodey had always been the worst one to hold his liquor, especially the hard stuff.

That did nothing but make him drunk quicker and wake up with the worst possible hangover ever. She knew when they met with the army in couple of hours he'd be cursing them and himself but she missed just hanging out and teasing each other, it hadn't been the same since Carol was presumed K.I.A, so if she could offer her best friends, her siblings some solace in their goofing around and their pranks than she would. Her small jagged family were all she had left in this world and there was nothing she wouldn't do for them.

* * *

As Toni lay on the hot sand, blood seeping through her ruined grey pinstripe blazer all she could think about were her babies, Rhodey, Stephen, Hope, Aunt Peggy, Uncle Nicky, Pepper and Happy. She prayed, as she fought to remain conscious until she was found, to every known and unknown God that her brother Rhodey was safe, that he wasn't gunned down by her own weapons like she'd seen happen to the soldiers who had been with her.
'No! Don't think like that!' Toni admonished herself, fighting her closing eyelids that felt like she had lead attached to them. She just needed to stay awake until Rhodey found her. Stay awake so she could go home. Stay awake to see her babies, her family again. Stay awake.
Stay awake.
Sta-y awake.
.... A-wake.
.... A-wake.

But ultimately it was a losing battle and she drifted off into the enveloping darkness that had been pressing in on her more instantly from all sides, covered in her own blood like she was something from a horror movie, and then; all she knew was pain.

—————————————————————————

Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this.