The Brewing Storm

SHIELD Has Fallen

13.

After a month into the New Year, Lucy had settled in better than I ever could have hoped for. Eugene had been helping her gain more control of her powers on the roof of the house, whilst I had bargained with Stark to build our own underground training room. He was happy to help, after negotiating that he could sleep in one of our many spare rooms until he makes a plan to return to New York, where his tower is making its final repairs.  

It was good to see him without there being a deadly threat hanging above our heads. Not to mention it was clear that he had been struggling with nightmares just as I had. The bags under his eyes fell heavily into shadows. But I didn't bring it up, he knows I will have noticed as soon as he stepped out of his car.  Scars both from New York and when his house was destroyed after he challenged the terrorists on live TV. Typical, reckless Tony Stark. 

Frank had been keeping out of the way, assembling his weapons after the many terrorist broadcasts over the past few days, which, although I had not been paying attention to, is something the world doesn't need under its belt again. From what I hear from Max, people are still attempting to rebuild some of New York that was damaged during the alien attack. 

"Have you heard from Romanoff?" Stark asks, after I hand him a ranch, and he jumps back up the ladder to fix one of the lights.  "I've been trying to reach her but it goes to voicemail."

"I'm certain that if Romanoff wanted to get a hold of anyone, I would be the last person on her list. What did you need her for?"

He shrugs. "Someone to talk to. Thor's on another planet dealing with your psychotic boyfriend-"

"-He's not my bo-"

"- Banner's off the grid, I only found out you were here last week and Barton's MIA."

"What about Rogers?"

"He had some catching up to do after being an ice cube for 75 years." 

"Fair play to him. Maybe he's sticking with Shield, since they are the ones who defrosted the poor guy."

"Jarvis,  test them again." He hops down from the ladder, rubbing his hands together.  I turn away, my opinion is useless seeing as I don't know how the lights are important when our powers will no doubt destroy them anyway.  Picking up my cup of tea, I slurp the contents, as Stark shoots me a look of disapproval, before turning back to his invention. 

"How's Pepper doing?"

He doesn't answer immediately, and by the way his eyes scan towards me I can only assume that things aren't that great. "I've been making more suits. She's been telling me to stop, and I haven't. I can't." He slams a metal piece onto the ground, and leans his weight against the table. Surely Pepper understands that this is way of coping? He was sucked into another planet to save us, he will have seen things that I can't even imagine. Slowly, I place a hand on his shoulder, and although he flinches, he doesn't move away, and instead places his own on top of mine. 

"Sir, you have a phone call." 

"Tell them I'm busy." He huffs, rubbing his forehead.

"It's Miss Romanoff, Sir" 

"How delightful" Although his tone suggests otherwise. He squeezes my hand, and leaves the room with a limp. 

I wander around, completely unaware of the amount Tony had done for me. For us. Eugene had been downstairs to give his very boisterous opinion whilst he and Lucy were taking a break from telekinesis training where, although my brother would deny it a hundred times, got his ass kicked more times than he could count. The pair had been away for a few days to get the girl in the right mindset before the brutal training begins.