. . .‧₊˚ ✩ CHAPTER THREE ⁺◟༉ . . .
❨ ∘ 𝔞𝔠𝔱 𝔦𝔦 ∘ ❩
REUNION
❛life suddenly floods back into her eyes❜

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In the Afghanistan Desert Tony lays down on a rusty metal stretcher. His arms constricted and his body was full of blood, a crater cut in his chest. He stands while an anguished and chilling scream is torn from his mouth, and his agony continues.

Tony closes his eyes shaking his head and seeing this. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. See him weak. The only good thing was that Lydia wasn't here to see him.

A pair of hands with leather gloves lower a kind of contraption in the crater on Tony's chest. A dirty and ragged fabric was held over his face, the overwhelming chemical smell burned his eyes and throat.

The last thing he thought before the darkness swallowed his vision was Lydia's face, his voice echoed as she called him helpless.

"Tony," Pepper says worriedly as Tony just shakes his head.

"You were awake," Bruce says wide-eyed before looking at Tony horrified.

"There's no anesthesia in the desert," Tony answers making many looks horrified but Tony just looks emotionless.

Yinsen stood on the improvised cradle while Tony lay there motionless; it took a moment to regain consciousness.

As his mobility and sense returned him, he slowly stood up with Yinsen's help. The new addition to his chest emits a vibrant blue light, throwing a soft tone on Tony's bloody and bruised face.

"Yinsen," Rhodey whispers the familiar name. He hears it from Tony mumbling in his sleep. Now he knew why.

"You still haven't told me where you're from," Tony thought carelessly after the two have been sitting in silence for a while.

"I'm from a small town called Gulmira. It's actually a nice place," Yinsen tells Tony who nods.

Nat and Clint share a look at that. They remember a town named Gulmira that was attacked not long after Tony's return.

"Got a family?" Tony asks the man.

"Yes, and I will see them when I leave here. And you, Stark?" Yinsen asks as Tony looks at the fire.

Tony looks down at that. Yinsen was reunited with his family he just didn't realize how he would be reunited with them.

"I have a daughter. She's eight. The best thing that ever happened to me. I named her Lydia. Which means beautiful one," Tony says with a slight smile on his face thinking about his daughter.

"That fits," Peter mutters nodding making Pepper smile at the boy as Tony glares.

"So you are a man who has everything, money, a loving daughter, and intelligence," Yinsen says as tears prick in Tony's eyes; with a quick blow from his hand, he wipes them.

"That just means I have everything to lose. And one thing I won't lose is my daughter. Ever," Tony says promising himself more than anything.

Tony nods agreeing with his past self. He wouldn't lose her, but what Tony didn't know is that Lydia made the same promise. She wouldn't lose him.

"Sounds like a true father, my friend," Yinsen says as his face softens.

"I didn't feel like it at first but they were all right. The first time you hold your daughter everything changes. Everything," Tony says as he thinks back to the first time he held Lydia.

And he was going to fight like hell to get back to his little cuddly bunny. No matter what.

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From the depths of the cave, a faint circle of light appeared, showing a complete suit of armor.

"You made the first suit in a cave?!" Bruce asks wide-eyed and impressed as Tony nods with a smirk on his face.

"Suit?" Maria questions confused as Tony just points to the screen for her to watch.

There are men waiting outside of the mouth of the cave. They all shoot at Tony in the suit but don't do any damage.

"My turn," Tony says as he shoots fire at the men and their camp from his suit. The men continue to shoot at Tony, beginning to cause damage to the suit.

Tony flips a suit and shoots up in the air. He screams as he falls into the sand on the other side of the mountains. The suit breaks when he lands.

"Not bad," Tony mutters.

Many looks wide-eyed as Tony shrugs. It wasn't bad but he got better now.

Before standing up and continuing his journey through the desert, he sat there for a few moments, catching his breath. In an attempt to cast a shadow of the relentless light, his jacket was wrapped over his head; his arms were covered with a layer of gradually dried blood and mud.

As he climbs a sand dune, the distant sound of an engine came out of almost nothing. Confused Tony turns around, trying to find the source of the sound.

A helicopter then flies over the horizon as suddenly as the sound materialized it was followed by a second and a third.

"HEY!" Tony shouts, shaking his arm desperately. He keeps screaming and screaming until the helicopter lands and he fell to his knees, laughing like a maniac; exhaustion went through him.

Maria had tears in her eyes seeing her son like this as she clutches Howard's hand tightly who was trying to keep his emotions in check but was terrified as well.

A squadron of soldiers, led by a familiar face heads towards him.

Rhodey's face was wrinkled with concern and empathy for his best friend.

"How was that "fun-vee"?" Rhodey asks him as he laughs drily.

"Not as fun as I thought it would be," Tony tells Rhodey who rolls his eyes at him but smiles.

Rhodey then kneels in front of Tony and puts a hand on his back, Tony releases a tense smile, relieving his features.

"Next time, you ride with me, okay?" Rhodey tells him his voice weak and almost broken as he gathers Tony into a tight hug.

"I want to see her. I want to see my daughter," Tony whispers weakly in Rhodey's ear who nods.

"You're going home, Tony. You'll see her soon," Rhodey tells Tony who nods.

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Lydia stood on the airport runway with her Pepper and Happy dressed in a blue and white sundress and her hair pulled back, but a bright smile on her face.

The first smile on her face in three months.

Lydia was jumping as she holds Pepper's hands. The group watched as the US Air Force plane land in front of them.

The previous day it was as if life suddenly flooded back into Lydia when Rhodey called to inform them that he had kept his promise and he was bringing her father home.

Lydia was in Tony's bed just watching The Little Mermaid emotionless as Pepper rushes into the room with a bright smile on her face.

Pepper smiles remembering this memory. It was like Lydia completely changed when Rhodey told her.

"Lydia it's Rhodey. He has something to tell you," Pepper tells her as Lydia looks up and Pepper hands Lydia the phone.

"Uncle Rhodey?" Lydia asks hopefully as Rhodey smiles at her.

"I am definitely the favorite uncle now. He's coming home, Lydia. He'll be back tomorrow," Rhodey tells her making Lydia's entire demeanor change.

"He's coming home! Daddy's coming home!" Lydia yells as she jumps up and down making Pepper smile at her. 

Tony smiles at his daughter. He watches as life appears back in her eyes everyone did. With those simple words, Lydia completely changed.

The ramp slowly opens at the rear of the aircraft.

"Daddy!" Lydia yells as she lets go and Pepper's grasp as soon as she lays her eyes on him and races for her dad, not wanting to waste a second away from him any longer.

Rhodey stood beside Tony, encouraging his friend to lean on him for support while he stood out of his wheelchair and started walking down the ramp slowly.

Rhodey let's go of Tony as soon as they were on the tarmac, awaiting the reunion.

Tony fell to his knees and caught his daughter and she collides with his chest.

"Daddy! You're home! Don't leave me again. Please," Lydia begs to sob as she buries her face into his neck.

"I'm here princess. And I am never leaving you again. I promise," Tony tells her as he repeatedly kisses her holding her tightly to him.

Tony then notices Lydia's appearance. She seemed smaller than the last time he saw her making Tony grimace. Her face was pale and looked pale making him worried but he just holds her tighter.

"I love you cuddly bunny," Tony tells Lydia who hugs him tightly around the neck almost choking him.

"I love you more daddy," Lydia tells him as she sniffles calming down slightly.

Clint hears sniffling making him turn to Nat who wipes her eyes.

"Are you crying?" Clint asks wide-eyed making Nat glare at him.

"No. I had something in my eye. Are you crying?" Nat asks as Clint scoffs.

"No my eyes are just watering," Clint tells her as the two share a look and then back at the screen.

❀ ༄ ❀ AUTHOR NOTE ❀ ༄ ❀
And they are reunited! My heart!!! <333

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I love you all!  <333