Avengers Generations

Chapter 31

He didn't even say hi.

The battle had ended, and everyone had gone their separate ways through the helicarrier. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents carted bodies out of the room as Peggy hugged her father and mother tightly, Fenrir and Charity had left with their dads and Fury, and even Jake's dad had disappeared to somewhere. William stood with Thor, talking quietly with tears in his eyes, but Tori spoke with no one. Her dad didn't run over to hug her, he just stood there.

She looked up at her dad, not really sure what to expect. His robot suit was scratched, dented, and sparking in some places, and she wasn't sure if it had protected him well enough. His shoulders were still heaving slightly as the glowing eyes on his face plate glowed and turned toward her slowly. Her dad pulled off his helmet and dropped it to the ground, looking at her with a serious glare. She could tell from his expression that he knew about Anthony.

Oh god... Anthony...

He turned toward Sharon Rogers and called her over, interrupting her tearful reunion with her husband in a gruff, commanding voice.

"Can I help you, Mr. Stark?" she said, briskly wiping a tear away and walking toward him.

"I want to see my son." Tony said sternly, facing the woman with stance that told Tori he meant business.

Sharon looked unsure of herself. "Tony," she said quietly, dropping the formalities "Your son Anthony was killed in action. He's dead."

"I know-!" Tony shouted, stopping himself suddenly and pausing as the echoes of his voice rang through the cargo bay "I know he died." He said calmly, blinking a few times "I want to see his body."

"Stark, he's been dead for weeks." Agent Hill joined the conversation. Her voice was more blunt than Sharon's, and she didn't try to put things lightly "His body was barely in one piece, and it'll be all but unrecognizable now. For your own good, I'd advise you not to see him."

"You don't want to do that to yourself, Tony..." Sharon added quietly.

Tori felt sick remembering the last time she had seen her brother. She remembered the gash, the bones, the punctured organs, and the blood, but what stuck in her mind -all day and every night- were his eyes, lifelessly reflecting the clouds in the sky.

"I don't care what he looks like." Tony said through gritted teeth "Take me to him."

Sharon looked uncertainly at Maria, but the brunette agent nodded somewhat reluctantly and started toward the ripped door.

She turned around and faced the group. "Coming?" She asked in a monotone.

Tori's dad didn't hesitate before following her, and Sharon -after an apologetic glance toward her husband- accompanied them. Tori caught up with her dad, and opened her mouth to talk to him -to say something to a living family member- but she was cut off.

"Tori, I really think you should stay." Sharon said gently.

"But-"

"I know." Sharon put a hand up, but looked at her kindly "But you know as well as I do that this would be too emotional for you. Please stay here." She looked pleadingly into the girl's eyes.

Tori wanted to argue, but she knew the agent was right. "Fine." She said, looking at the ground. Sharon put a gentle hand on her cheek, and turned to follow Maria and Tori's dad down the hall.

Tori watched her dad leave the room - he didn't even glance back at her. She felt alone and abandoned in the room as she glanced around, looking for someone to go to. She felt the insecurity of being alone and idle in a room of people, and wanted to find anyone else she could join. Peggy was talking tearfully with her dad, and Tori knew she couldn't join them... William still stood with Thor by the opening in the wall, and the few dozen agents busily placed the fallen soldiers in body bags and hauled them from the room... Tori made a forced effort to avoid eye-contact with the bodies.