39 | and the plot thickens

Hope

"Take another step and I'll make sure you'll crawl home crying to your mommies."

My eyebrows furrowed as I pulled a shirt over my head. I just got out of the shower and now dressing up when I heard Tony arguing with someone at the door.

"How did you even know this address—Where's Agent Coulson? I'd like to speak to him. I—We have the right to speak to anyone we want. This is America. You know, liberty and crap."

As soon as I was fully dressed, I stepped out of our bedroom and walked down the stairs with my hair still damp, all while still listening in on Tony being insistent on not letting them in, whoever they are.

"I'm not letting any of you go near my girlfriend." Tony said as I'm about to reach them.

"We don't have any bad intentions, we simply want to debrief Ms. Mikaelson of her past experiences and future plans." The fair-skinned woman said. She has icy blue eyes that almost look turquoise. She has a slightly sharp jawline, her cheekbones high, and her nose narrow. Her shiny black hair is neatly pulled into a low bun which not many people can pull off, but it suits her.

"What's happening here?" I asked, finally letting my presence known to Tony and the woman and men at the door.

Tony whipped around and instantly extended his arms, trying to cover the door rather poorly. Sometimes, as much as he's a genius, there's still a level of idiocy in him that I can't ever explain.

"Carolers." Tony said, or lied, rather. He's always been a terrible liar when it comes to me. I don't know if it's because he doesn't like keeping secrets from me or simply because he just knows I find him adorable at times when I catch him lying about the most ridiculous things. This, however, is not one of those adorable things.

"Christmas is months away." I said, arching an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged. "Never too early to start caroling."

"Ms. Mikaelson?" Said the woman at the door accompanied by a group of men in black suits. I gently pushed Tony aside and stood in front of them. "I'm Agent Maria Hill from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. You might have heard of us from Agent Coulson. I've been tasked to bring you in for questioning."

Well, that was fast. The interview with Christine just got published not even an hour ago. I thought I had more time before intelligent agencies start ringing our phones and come knocking on our doors.

"She's not going anywhere with you." Tony continued to argue as he stood next to me.

"Mr. Stark, with all due respect, this does not concern you, even if you like to believe everything is. This is a matter of national security." Maria Hill said, remaining impassive.

I did say that I will cooperate with agencies that have scope on this entire thing. I have to go with them. Otherwise, they'll see that as a retaliation and everything will be worse. We already have angry mobs gathering at the front of Stark Industries, asking for my head in a stick. Yes, a lot of people did not take the news lightly. However, there are some that sympathized with me, to my surprise. Though, there aren't really a lot of them. So, it's not making any difference.

"Okay, you totally meant that with disrespect—" Tony responded while holding a finger up.

I couldn't fight the urge to roll my eyes as I put his hand down and glanced at him. "Everything will be fine."

Despite saying those words, I can see in his eyes that he doesn't believe that. He looked worried, and I can't blame him. The truth is out and right now, there are three types of people out there. There are the ones who are afraid of me, the ones who are incredibly pissed, and the smallest portion of the population which sympathizes with me.

Tony has been paranoid for a while now. I think losing each other back in 1994 really took a toll on him. People trying to take me away has become somewhat of a trauma to him. And I can say the same for myself. That's why his reaction right now is understandable. I know I would do the same thing if it was him in my position right now.

"I'll come with you." He offered.

I immediately shook my head. "No, you stay. You should call Pepper."

"I sent her on an errand." Tony replied.

Right. I remember. Tony sent Pepper to hack into the company's mainframe, more specifically, Obadiah's secret deals, to know more about the shipments he had approved.

"Well, then, wait for her. I'll be back soon, I promise." I said, taking a step closer to him and placing my hands on his cheeks to ease his worries. I need him to have a clear mind, especially with what's happening in the company—his company. I need him focused on taking his company back and bringing down that conniving, backstabbing, old, bald man.

"Okay." He simply answered with a slight nod.

A genuine smile curled on my lips before I planted a quick kiss on his cheek. I turned around and neared the agents again. That's when they took out a pair of shackles that I, of course, recognize very much.

"Anti-magic shackles? Really?" I said, looking at the shackles before bringing my gaze up to Agent Hill.

"Nothing personal. It's protocol." She replied.

"Since when do you have protocols for incarcerating a tribrid?" The one and only, might I add.

"Since this morning." She answered. Still feels personal.

But well played. For the first time, I actually like the person who's putting these shackles on me.

—

When we were on our way to the headquarters of the Strategic Homeland Intervention—okay, whatever—we passed by Stark Industries and the news is not exaggerating the situation at all. The front is packed with angry people calling me the she-devil, some I even recognize as employees of the company, demanding an explanation as to why Tony let someone as dangerous as me loose in the world.

It's safe to say that Tony is also not the crowd favorite at the moment and that's what I did not expect. I expected the anger to be pinned solely on me. But I guess, because they have no way of reaching me, they're trying to get to me through Tony and the company.

"I didn't even get to at least blow dry my hair." I complained as I sat, still shackled inside the least bleak interrogation room I've ever been in. This totally beats the piece of crap that Ryan Clarke used to take me to.

"Director Fury doesn't like to wait." Said Agent Hill.

Am I hearing things or did she actually say 'Fury'? There's someone named Mr. Fury? I can only imagine what he must look like.

"And Director Fury is?" I asked at the same time the door opened. There entered an intimidating black man with an eye-patch dressed in his all-black clothes—most of which are made of leather.

"That would be me." Said the man who just waltzed in. "The name's Nick Fury."

He's wearing a dramatic leather trench coat with a high collar. Who wears that? I guess someone with a name as dramatic as Nick Fury. I know I said he's intimidating, but not to me. He just has that vibe that would make people feel alarmed. But for someone like me whose magic is inhibited but the vampire and werewolf side still accessible, he's not at all intimidating.

"Finally we meet, Hope Andrea Mikaelson." He said as he sat down on the chair across from me, placing his arms on top of the cool metal table between us while Agent Hill stood in the corner of the room.

I cringed at the sound of my whole government name being spoken. I hate it when people do that. I tried to talk Lizzie out of doing that because she unfortunately does that a lot.

"Just call me Andrea." I responded. "So, go on, ask away. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and I'm ready to answer them."

I saw the way Nick Fury's face contorted into a confused expression before turning towards Agent Hill.

"What did you tell her?" He asked.

"I needed to give her a reason to come with us." Agent Hill answered.

Okay, now I'm the one confused. What the hell is going on?

"Excuse me?" I said, waving my shackled hands to get their attention. "Does anyone want to explain what's happening right now?"

Nick Fury—You know what, I'm just going to call him Fury. Fury flickered his stern gaze between me and Agent Hill before he shifted in his seat and settled his eyes on me.

"We already know everything about you, Mikaelson." Wow, I asked him to call me Andrea out of kindness and he still called me Mikaelson. It feels weird but, I'll let it slide.

But wait, what? They already know everything about me?

"What?" Like with Christine, this is not how I expected this to turn out.

"We've been watching you for a while now." He added. That's...not creepy at all.

Note the sarcasm.

"Well, then, what am I doing here?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. I'm trying to read him through his expression, but I can't seem to do so. He's so apathetic and unpredictable. It would be easier I guess if I just do a head dive.

"To test you. And you passed." Fury said.

"And the test was...?" I asked again. This man is always answering vaguely and with one sentence every time that I had to ask questions continuously to make sense of everything.

Fury narrowed his eyes at me before looking down at the shackles wrapped around my wrists.

"You already know the shackles only keeps you from doing magic. You could've escaped and killed everyone here using two of your three sides. But instead, you're still here. That means you're true to your words and you can be trusted." Fury stated, eyeing me while he did.

He's right. These shackles aren't like the ones Ryan Clarke had on me.

"What if I'm really just waiting for the right time to attack?" I replied as I leaned forward, my eyebrow cocking at the same time a small smirk tugged on my lips.

Fury didn't move. He didn't even blink an eye while he responded.

"Are you?" He retorted.

It felt like we were having a staring contest, and I don't know if it was easier for him staring at me with only one eye or more difficult. But the man really does know how to stare like a pro. He was trying to catch me in a lie...calling my bluff. And by the looks of it, he's pretty good at doing that.

I guess that's part of his job, whatever that is.

I sighed deeply before using my vampire strength to effortlessly break the shackles off my wrists. Fury nor Agent Hill did a thing when I did that. They remained straight-faced and unmoving. They really do trust me enough. I have no idea if that's bravery or just straight-up foolishness.

"What are we doing here, Director Fury?" I leaned back on my chair, tossing the broken shackles on top of the table before crossing my arms against my chest.

"We're here to recruit you, and you're here to accept it." He answered.

It only took me three seconds to remain expressionless because I could no longer help the laugh that escaped from my lips at his statement. Now, that's just absurd. An intelligence agency recruiting a supernatural tribrid. What the hell am I supposed to do here? Protect the president? I think the humans can very well handle that.

I thought it was a joke. I mean, it was a good one. But as I laughed, I saw how Fury stayed as apathetic as before—no, actually, he looks slightly mad. He looked more serious and, perhaps, offended by my laughter?

"Oh, you're serious?" I asked. They can't be serious, right?

"Does my face look like I'm joking?" He asked, his face returning to its impassive state.

"Your face...doesn't look like anything, to be quite frank with you." I can't fucking read his face. He's mastered the ability of being completely expressionless. I might need him to teach me how to do that.

"This is not a laughing matter, Mikaelson." He said. Now he's showing emotion again. Just pure irritation.

"Yeah, I'm seeing that now." I responded, a smile still plastered on my face. An amused one. I didn't expect this to happen but it doesn't mean that I'm not enjoying it. "So, you're recruiting me? For what?"

He finally leaned back on his chair, his gaze not faltering. I kept getting distracted by his eyepatch and the claw mark that hid behind it. What happened to him? My curiosity is starting to get the best of me.

"You already know." He said.

I tilted my head. "Excuse me?"

He shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms against his chest.

"You're the one from the future. You already know what will happen." He stated.

Slowly, but surely, the smile on my face decreased into nothing. The amused, with a hint of sarcastic, expression plastered across my face vanished and was replaced by a stern one. My brain is already jumping into a number of conclusions. How the hell does he know that?

"What did you just say?" I said, my eyes squinting as I slowly leaned forward. No trace of any friendly fiber in my body can be detected anymore. All I am right now is skeptical and potentially violent.

To my surprise, a smile stretched on Fury's face before he started laughing. The fact that he's laughing right now, causing this exchange to be even slower and longer than it already is, is starting to get on my nerves.

"This is not a laughing matter, Fury." I said, using his own sentence against him.

"Oh, I see that." He said, a smile still lingering on his face. Glad to know he's enjoying himself with the information that so few people know, information that would struck the whole world if it ever goes out. It's not everyday they encounter a living proof of time travelling.

"What do you know about the future?" I asked. Now the tables have turned. I do the questions, he does the answers. It's the least they could do for me considering they dragged me out here only to find out that they're not actually questioning me. And on top of that, they already know all of my secrets.

"Not a damn thing." He said before he inclined forward once more, his gaze intensifying. I'm pretty sure with the way he's staring, he can already see his own reflection in my eyes. That's how unrelenting and focused his gaze is. "And we're going to let it stay that way."

"So...you don't wanna know?" I asked.

"If we know what's gonna happen, it's not gonna happen. And I very much prefer the events that you already know to be prepared. You won't tell us a thing unless it's already about to occur." He answered. That's sort of true, though. It's the sole reason why I haven't told Tony what happened back in my original timeline.

I still have no idea how this timeline I created is gonna go. But it's a lot safer if none of them are aware of the big fight in the future. It's just going to stir up some panic and anxiety. I might not be sure that that's where we're headed, but like Fury said, it's much preferred if we're prepared.

"You're saying, you're recruiting me because I know what's going to happen?" I asked again.

"Among other things, yes."

"And the other things....?"

"You're the all-powerful tribrid. Is that even a question?"

Makes sense. However, I only know the big fight that ended a lot of things. The one Peter told me about. That's all I know. Everything else, I have no idea. What if there were still other problems that I was unaware of? I mean, I was born in 2012 and was off the grid mostly my entire childhood.

"What if I tell you I only know some things?" I said. I won't be much of a help in terms of predicting the future until the big one comes.

"Some is better than none." He answered. I can see the determination evident on his face. I'm not that valuable, am I? I know my value given that I'm the one and only tribrid. But there's something here that they're not telling me. Something bigger than any of us alone. Are they aware of something from the future?

"What does—"

"Woman, this isn't 20 questions."

"Yes, it's 200. Forgive me if I'm just trying to learn more about the people trying to recruit me."

He rolled his eye at me before looking back at Agent Hill, like two best friends communicating through their eyes, silently judging the people around them. Nick Fury knowing that I came from the future is already skeptical enough. What more could this agency be capable of?

"What does this agency do, exactly?" I asked, continuing the questions I was about to ask earlier before he cut me off.

"We protect the United States from possible threats—"

"Let me rephrase that question." I said, interrupting him because I can already sense that he's going to give some crap answer that I'm not exactly looking for. "What makes you different from all the other intelligent agencies?"

There it is. I saw Nick Fury exhale rather deeply while still maintaining eye contact with me. Neither of us are leaving this room until he tells me everything. And I won't let him recruit me if he thinks that I'm easy to fool.

"We protect the entire planet from very specific 'possible threats'."

"Like?"

"Enhanced individuals, whether supernaturally or scientifically." Namely, me. "Dangerous advanced technology." Namely, Tony's suit. "Alien contact." Namely...what?

"Alien?" I echoed. I mean, I shouldn't even be surprised. Peter told me aliens are real. I remember one's name. Thanos? And the other ones that are on their side. They're too many. I can't remember all their names.

"Yes. Alien." Fury answered, not even flinching, as if the word just normally rolls off his tongue on a daily basis.

"You said enhanced individuals. I'm qualified as a threat then?" I asked.

"Yes. But you're also qualified as an ally. It's your choice." He answered.

He has answers in every question I ask, as though he already knew that I was going to ask them. That he's just waiting for me to make the decision based on those. But if I do agree to join this agency and help them, what's in it for me? I know that saving the planet from potential dangers is already a valid reason enough, but with a personal reason, I'd be more active and engaged in everything this agency will throw at me.

"What's in it for me?" I asked, hopefully, the last question I have to ask them tonight. Because this particular question has the most pull in my decision, the most impactful.

"We protect you and your family. In fact, we're already doing so. Why do you think no other agencies are trying to get their hands on you or them?" He said.

I don't know if it's a smart move that they brought my family into this or a very manipulative one. But at the same time, they got me tempted. Because even if my interview would make everyone direct their focus on me, it's only a matter of time before they start looking at my family again. And I don't want to let that happen.

I have been in this room for almost an hour. Therefore, the interview has been out for nearly two. And yet, there's still no news that my family has been involved in this issue. How did I know? Because I can hear other agents from next door monitoring the news. As much as this room is all fancy and modern, it's not soundproof.

"If you're interested," Nick Fury said as he looked toward Agent Hill. The woman handed a file over to him before placing it on the table, sliding it over to me. "This will be your first project."

I reached for the folder and my eyes glazed over the silver, metallic folder, where in front, the logo of an eagle with its wings spread and the name 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' is plastered, which I just realize is the initials of this entire organization. They could've just led with this name. Do they have to pronounce every word in the acronym everytime?

I flipped the file open and the first page was mostly blank.

Inside, the title 'The Avengers Initiative' can be seen, the letters in bold, black letters.

Avengers. Now that's a name I can never forget.

Thank you, Parker.

"I'm in." I said.

I was about to flip to the next page to see what this project is all about and what I have to do when Agent Hill and Nick Fury suddenly got news from their comms. News that made me very frantic.

"Agent Coulson just requested back-up at Stark Industries. Obadiah Stane is operating a high-tech armor suit and civilians are in immediate danger, including Pepper Potts and Tony Stark." Said the man in their comms.

My gaze snapped from the file to Nick Fury and Agent Hill, my eyes widening—astound.

"What?" I said, abandoning the file on the table as I flickered my gaze between the only two people in the room with me.

"Scratch that. Your first mission will be saving Tony Stark. We need him alive." Fury said as both he and I stood up from our seats.

"To hell with that, I need him alive. I don't need a mission to protect my boyfriend." I said before I made my way towards the door. Then Fury spoke again.

"Right, about that. You and him? I don't get it." He said.

"What, because I'm a Mikaelson?"

"No, because he's Stark."

Weirdly enough, that makes sense.

—

"Pepper!" I exclaimed the moment I got out of the car and saw her standing right outside the building of Stark Industries, next to a giant hole on the ground.

Her bright ginger hair flung as she whipped around at the sound of my voice. Fear and worry can be traced from her teary eyes and pale complexion as I ran towards her.

"Oh, thank God!" She said before we collided into a hug. It was only for a few seconds before I pulled away and examined her for any injury. Which was kind of dumb in my part. I hugged her before checking. I could've made her condition worse with that tight hug if she was ever hurt.

"Where's Tony?" I asked.

Pepper was at a loss for words but she didn't fail to tell me where he was. All she had to do was look up and I got my answer. I followed her gaze and I saw two figures, two silhouettes of armor suits cutting through the quiet night sky, one discreet, and the other now, not even close to being invisible with the thick trail of smoke following him.

I guess that's Obadaiah's take on Tony's suit.

"I can't get to them." I whispered under my breath. I don't know if there's a spell that can make me fly or at least manipulate my body's gravitational pull, but even if there is, I don't know the incantation.

But, luckily, it seems like the fight just ended.

My neck remained craned as I stared up in the sky, seeing Obadiah falling fast, gravity doing all the work for his defeat, and possibly—and hopefully—death.

However, as Obadiah falls from the sky, I notice Tony in a somewhat similar state. The light from his flight stabilizers were flickering, as if its power was draining. He was falling, but unlike Obadiah, Tony's falling keeps getting abruptly interrupted with his suit trying to squeeze whatever power it has left. But it doesn't mean that the impact when he hits the ground wouldn't still be painful.

"Stay here." I told Pepper before I began running as fast I could, getting as high as I could, as close as I could get to Tony while he fell.

From the top of the building next to Stark Industries, I jumped high enough to catch Tony before he could land directly onto the skylight of the company's roof, where underneath is the giant arc reactor which I can imagine would create a great deal of damage to him and everyone near it when crashed into.

I groaned as Tony and I made harsh contact with the concrete rooftop of the company, rolling over one another repeatedly until we stopped with me on top.

"Oh, you're back." Tony said with his mask still on when he finally settled his gaze on me. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yeah, I figured." I answered.

"You need to get off of me 'cause you're turning me on right now." He replied.

I exhaled deeply and groaned as I got off of him, moving aside to allow him to get up. Once I sat on the ground, that's when I noticed my leg bent in a way that shouldn't be bent.

"Oh, that looks painful." Tony commented as he removed the metal mask of his suit. I grabbed a hold of my leg and pushed the bones back in place, earning a whimper to escape from my lips before I felt the healing process begin.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah. But I need to get out of this thing 'cause I'm almost out of power." He responded while taking off one of his repulsors.

That's when I saw Obadiah land behind him. How the fuck is he still alive?

My eyes widened at the same time my instincts took over. I grabbed Tony by the wrist and sped him out of the way before Obadiah could hit him. I got to Tony just in time. We managed to avoid Obadiah's right punch as we sped away.

When I glanced back at him, I drew a deep breath before I threw my hand forward.

"Motus!" Obadiah flew backwards and almost fell by the edges of the building but for a suit as heavy and as big as his, he quickly recovered and got back up.

With one hand stripped of his repulsors slash flight stabilizers, Tony flew in the air and towards Obadiah before punching him across the head. Though, after that, the fucking greedy man grabbed a hold of my boyfriend by the torso with his two giants hands, crushing his body.

My hands balled into fists as my anger and hatred for this man just grew a hundred times stronger, and I didn't know I can even be that angry at him.

I used my vampire speed to run towards him and climb over his back, settling my hands on the suit's helmet—almost crushing it under my infuriated touch before I muttered an incantation under my breath.

"Phasmatos superous em animi..." I chanted.

The sound of Obadiah's screams from the pain I've inflicted in his head is music to my ears. I'm gonna need to listen to more of it...so, I chanted some more.

I continued to let the agonizing pain run through the veins in his head until he released Tony from his grip. He then reached backward, grabbed me and threw me off his back, causing me to land on the ground rough once more, the sound of my skin scraping against the concrete roof echoing in my ears as I bled.

But the pain only lasted for a second before I got back up again, about to run towards Obadiah once more before he deployed another of his weapons. And this one was made specifically for me.

How did I know? Because when the bullets went pierced through my skin, I felt the wood graze my internal organs and the vervain and wolfsbane lace my bloodstream.

And all I felt was pain.

A strained scream squeezed out of me as I felt the sting of the toxins violate the insides of my body, igniting painful burns that resonated through my veins and slowly reaching my heart. It wouldn't kill me, but it sure as hell is slowing me the fuck down.

"Andrea!" I heard Tony's worried shout to my left. But I remained laid down on the ground with my eyesight blurring from the tears because of the toxin-laced bullets embedded in my body.

I have to get them out of me or I won't be able to heal.

"Did you really think I was that stupid?" Obadiah said, his voice tainted with the robotic speakers of his suit. "Only 5 years in and I was already noticing something odd about you. About why you're not aging. About how things just magically happen around you."

Yes, actually. I really thought he was that stupid. But I wasn't in the perfect—or at least good—-condition to say anything given that all I could muster up was faint whimpers.

"When Everhart revealed that recording when you lost control at the mall, things started to make sense." Obadiah continued, hearing and feeling his heavy footsteps as he neared me. "That's when I realized that I not only have to kill Tony, but you, too."

"Here's another news flash, Obie." Tony said. "Andrea can't be killed. The same can't be said for you, though."

I heard Obadiah's struggles as I watched the blurry silhouette of Tony yanking off the wirings of the man's suit through the gap between the helmet and the body only for Tony to be tossed aside much like he did to me—Ripping Tony's helmet off in the process.

Tony needs my help. I have to get these bullets out of me.

"I never had a taste for this sort of thing, but I must admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!" Obadiah crumpled the helmet as he fisted his left hand before throwing it like a piece of junk. Meanwhile, my fingers deep into one of my open wounds, cries erupting from my throat as I reach for one of the bullets. "You finally outdid yourself, Tony! You'd have made your father proud!"

I went to the next wound, ignoring the pain that gravitated through me no matter how agonizing it may be just to get the bullets out as fast as possible. My fingers even got stung from the toxin left on the wooden bullets.

I heard continuous gunshots being fired, the sounds of glass shattering and that could only mean one thing, the skylight's destroyed. I turned around enough to see Tony in my line of sight. I found him hanging on, his body dangling below him as he held onto the metal structure of the skylight, his face already having cuts and blood.

"How ironic, Tony! Trying to rid the world of weapons yet you're even dating one!" Said Obadiah. Only three bullets left. I can make it.

"Pepper! Time to hit the button!" I heard Tony exclaim.

"But this one...you just gave the best one ever...and I'm going to kill you with it." He finished.

He just pissed off the monster inside me. Perhaps I should express how angry it is.

As soon as I felt the last wound relieved from the bullet—despite the wounds still not completely closing up considering I'm gonna need blood—I still gathered enough strength to sprint towards Obadiah, to climb up his back once more to finish everything.

"You're right about one thing." I said as he started to stagger backwards by my sudden action. "I am a weapon. And I'm about to show you just how dangerous I can be."

My fingers dug through his eyes, earning a scream from the man as I felt his eyeballs turn into mush and blood start pouring out of his sockets.

That's right. I need blood.

I released my fingers from his skull and opened my mouth, letting my fangs grow before burying them into his neck. Dumb move revealing your body from the suit.

I can already tell that my wounds are closing up as I suck as much blood as I'm craving. And as that happens, I can also tell his body is slowly starting to weaken.

"Push it!" Tony's voice echoed.

I lift my head up to see him hanging on with only one hand now. I don't know what's about to happen or what Tony and Pepper are planning, but my gut is screaming at me.

Get Tony out of there.

I rapidly climbed off of Obadiah and ran to Tony. I pulled him against me and dragged him out of the way as the light nearly swallowed us whole. That light? It was the arc reactor that is currently in the process of blowing up.

While we're safe and out of the arc reactor's way, I heard more screams erupt from Obadiah's throat in spite of it being damaged because of me. I glanced at him and saw how the reactor's energy electrocuted him. My eyes squinted when it created a bright, blinding beacon shooting up at the sky—triggering a series of lightning and thunders before it disappeared again.

My eyesight started to adjust from the abrupt loss of that bright light, and once it did, I saw Obadiah fall forward into the hole on the roof where the skylight used to be. Him and his suit dropped right into the where the arc reactor is, causing another explosion to shake the entire building, the ground below even.

My chest heaved up and down as I watched the explosion dissolve from fire into smoke. There's no coming back from that. Obadiah's dead.

I averted my eyes towards Tony and saw him catching his breath, almost gasping.

"Hey, hey." I said, placing one of my hands on the suit's chest and my other on his cheek. "It's okay. Take deep breaths."

His frantic and wide eyes looked straight into my calm ones, doing as I say until he had finally caught his breath. I can also hear his heart still beating a bit fast but nothing problematic. Just the adrenaline passing his system and the pain in his entire body shaking his heartbeat.

"It's over." I breathed.

"Pepper?" He asked.

"She's okay." I answered, hearing Pepper's worried mumbles downstairs.

Tony closed his eyes and sighed deeply. I was focused on the cuts and bruises on his face. Not because of the blood, but because of the scenes of how he got them playing in my head.

"Help me up, will you?" He asked.

I simply nodded before I stood up and helped him get back on his feet.

"Come on." I muttered, urging him to go back to the ground when he suddenly pulled away.

"Wait." He breathed as he backed away from me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing at his actions.

He was looking at me rather weirdly. Not exactly weird, but the look in his eyes is filled with determination, and that's weird because we just finished the fight. What's he determined to do now?

"Okay, I really need to ask you this now while I have the chance." He said as he panted. "You." He pointed to me. "Me." He pointed to himself. Then extended his arms out sideways. "Marriage."

I've never been more stunned my entire life. Not because of what he said, but because of the timing of when he said it...and also because of what he just said.

"What the fuck was that?" I asked, because 'You. Me. Marriage' is not a proposal.

"I'm proposing to you." He answered.

He can't be serious.

"That's a wedding proposal?" I responded with my eyebrows shot upwards.

"Yeah, isn't it obvious?" He asked.

Yes, it's obvious. I can smell the romance in the air, along with the smoke of the explosion we just witnessed and caused. I can feel my heart pumping rapidly in my chest in excitement along with the adrenaline and worry from seconds ago. I can hear the love in the words of his proposal along with the blatancy of it.

Hear my sarcasm?

"You have got to be kidding me." I said, closing my eyes and running my palms down my face.

"What do you want me to do?! Do you want me to kneel?" He exclaimed.

"That would be a good place to start, yes." I joked.

"I didn't peg you for a romantic." He replied as he pointed at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, one of us has to be."

Tony just stared at me before letting out another sigh. He then dropped his head forward and began to lower his body, about to kneel to the ground. Wait—I was just joking.

I heard him grunting, struggling to kneel. I mean, he just came from a fight, of course his body will be painful and sore.

"Oh for God's sake, stop. Just..." I said as I approached him, letting him settle his body weight on me so he could get himself back up again.

"Will you just marry me already?" Tony said as soon as he stood again, clearly already frustrated.

I tilted my head to the side as I looked up at him before letting out a deep exhale.

"Fine." I finally said.

"'Fine'? You sound forced." He commented.

"I—" I stopped myself before this could lead to a full-blown nonsensical argument. Our wedding proposal doesn't have to consist of pure banters. "Yes, Anthony. I will marry you."

His facial expression revealed his relief as he sighed and smiled before closing his eyes. I don't know how long he's been waiting for this to happen, but I can see that he finds it worth it.

"I would kiss you, but you still have Obie's blood on your lips, so..." He said.

"Understandable." I responded.

Fifteen years. Fifteen years stuck in a cycle of romance, banters, and violence. Fifteen years of individual growth. Fifteen years of constant tug of war for dominance.

Fifteen years...and we're finally engaged.

—

"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff—" Rhodey announced as he stood behind the podium while Pepper, Phil, and I were still prepping Tony for his speech in one room.

"'Iron Man.' That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold titanium alloy, but it's kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway." Tony rambled as he read the newspaper with the headline 'Who is the Iron Man?'.

Meanwhile, Pepper is covering some of Tony's wounds on his face with foundation, Phil is preparing his alibi, and I am fixing his tie. He must feel so pampered right about now.

Everytime my eyes land on my hand, a smile forms on my lips, noticing the beautiful rock on my ring finger. Tony picked a blue diamond for the engagement ring because he said that it always reminded him of my eyes—That it was the only and perfect description of what my eyes look like. Same with blue roses. He'd given me so much blue roses that it has become my favorite.

I'm engaged. Who knew that the day would actually come that I'd be engaged?

We still have yet to tell my family about it. Although, I'm already imagining their reactions.

"Here's your alibi." Phil said, handing over the blue index cards where his cover story is written.

"Okay." Tony responded.

I took it upon myself to get the cards from Phil's hands and gave them to Tony myself. Tony folded the newspaper aside and started reading the cards.

"You were on your yacht."

"Yeah."

"We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests."

"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Andrea and me on the island where I got down on one knee and proposed very romantically." Tony said, building a fantasy for himself rather than a cover story.

"What, to cover up the fact that you said 'You. Me. Marriage.' on the rooftop and could not even get yourself to kneel with the number of broken bones you had after the fight while I stood there with blood-stained lips, wondering how that is such a one-of-a-kind proposal?" I ranted, tightening the tie around his neck, causing him to mutter an 'ow' and sending me an unamused look before I took a step back.

"That's what happened." Phil said as he pointed to the cards.

"All right." Tony answered.

"Just read it word for word." Phil added.

Tony began to browse through the cards he's holding, as if searching for something. "There's nothing about Stane here." Tony said before looking back at Phil.

"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record." Phil responded, unwavering.

"What about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my...I mean, is that...That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?" Tony complained.

"This isn't my first rodeo. Mr. Stark. Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you. You've got 90 seconds." Phil said before he started walking away.

Tony stood up from his seat and I got his coat from the backrest of the couch to help him slip it on when Pepper followed Phil and talked to him.

"Agent Coulson? I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help." Said Pepper as my vampire hearing caught their conversation.

"That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us." Phil answered.

"From the Strategic Homeland—"

"Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D."

The mention of the acronym of the organization caused me to flicker my gaze towards Phil, there I found him already looking at me with a small meaningful smile on his face before he walked out of the room. Well, what do you know? I've already made a friend at my new job.

"What was that?" Tony said. I snapped my gaze back to him as I help him put on his coat.

"What was what?" I asked while I brushed the shoulders of the coat after putting it on.

"You and Agent Coulson. The eye thingy."

"There was no eye thingy."

"Yes there was. There was a smile too."

"He's just being friendly."

"Is he?"

"Tony, you already put a ring on it. Stop being so jealous." I said, looking straight into his eyes.

"Fine." He breathed. And so he finally admits that he gets jealous. He returned his gaze towards the cards before speaking again. "You know, it's actually not that bad. Even I don't think I'm Iron Man."

"I do." I said. I felt his gaze on me as I fixed the front of his suit.

"You do?" He asked.

I lifted my gaze and met his before smiling. "Of course I do."

"Well, I don't think I am. But if I really were Iron Man, that means you'd be the fiancée who knows my true identity and you'd be a wreck, 'cause you would always be worrying that I was going to die, yet so proud of the man I'd become, which would only make you more crazy about me." He rambled on. The way his mind works is that: He comes up with something, and he just babbles it out without a filter. That's why he's so talkative-which is annoying and entertaining at the same time.

"Tony." I called as soon as he stopped rambling.

"Hm?" Tony hummed.

I let myself get lost in his deep brown eyes once again as a genuine smile tugged on my lips.

"You are Iron Man." I muttered.

His gaze on me took a moment longer, as if he was still absorbing what I said. Then he mirrored my smile, sincere and grateful. No hint of sarcasm, or cockiness. Just...thankful.

—

"And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you." Rhodey said.

I walked towards the back of the crowd, standing with Pepper and Phil. I can feel some of the gazes of the reporters on me, especially Christine's, before Tony walked up in front and regained their attention.

"Uh..Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time." Tony began, causing a wave of soft laughter to erupt from the crowd before he continued. "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," Of course, Christine had to interfere despite already mentioned that there will be no questions. I'm not even surprised. "But do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—"

"I know that it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero." Tony answered.

"I never said you were a superhero." Christine retorted.

I can hear the sass in her voice. Makes me want to rip her throat out. But Tony has this.

"Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and, uh...fantastic. I—" Tony paused to sigh deeply. "I'm just not the hero type. Clearly, with this, uh, laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public—" Rhodey had to step in and whisper to Tony to stick to the cards.

I wish he wouldn't. I wish he'd look at me and notice how I'm voting for him to tell the truth. Because honestly? Iron Man is a name that I know for sure is going to change the world. I want everyone to know that Tony is the one who made it all happen. That he's that kind of man. That he's not the type of man that Christine clearly thinks he is.

Tony looked back down on the cards and held it up before speaking again. "The truth is..."

He trailed off. His eyes wandered around the room, searching every face on the seats, avoiding every flash of cameras, looking past all the men, before his eyes landed on me. And I smiled at him.

Hoping that he remembers what I told him earlier. Because who else is worth the name Iron Man, if not him?

"I am Iron Man."

With that, the crowd of reporters gone wild.

—

Tony and I just got back home from dinner with my family. Yes, dinner. Surprisingly, it went very well. No one was stabbed in the chest with a fork. No one pranked anyone with vervain in wine. No one started a debate. And no one flipped the table upside down.

It was just a normal and fun dinner celebration of our engagement, which is what we deserve. These past couple of weeks have been rough on us. A little normal and a little fun is just what we needed.

"Jarvis!" Tony called as we both walked into the house.

"Welcome home, Mr. Stark, Ms. Andrea." Jarvis replied, though his voice is slightly distorted.

Tony and I shared a suspicious glance, wondering why Jarvis's system is malfunctioning.

That's when I felt the uninvited presence of someone in the living room.

Without another thought, I grabbed the nearest object to my left and threw it at where I could hear the steady breathing and heartbeat, only for it to be caught swiftly and effortlessly by a man standing in the dark, hiding in the shadows.

But despite the darkness in the room, I already know who the guest is.

"Is that how you treat your boss, Mikaelson?" Fury said.

I rolled my eyes at the same time Tony turned his on me.

"Boss? What boss? Who's your boss?" He asked.

"I'll explain later as soon as he and I have a talk." I said as I glanced at Fury, already pissed at him for breaking into our house. Can't he just be a normal person and just...I don't know...call me?

"I'm not here for you. I'm here for Mr. Stark." Fury responded.

My forehead creased at Fury's statement. Is he here for what happened at the press conference? Or for something else?

"'I am Iron Man'. You think you're the only superhero in the world?" Fury said as he began to walk around the long couch in the living room. "Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it, yet."

"Who the hell are you? Who the hell is he?" Tony asked, flickering his gaze between Fury and me.

And he finally stepped out of the dark and into the light, revealing himself and all his eyepatch glory. He really is as dramatic as his clothes and name.

"Nick Fury. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury answered.

Tony shifted his gaze towards me with confusion plastered across his face and his eyes hinting 'why and since when the hell are you working for them' look.

"Huh." Tony just said before bringing his gaze back to Fury. "And why exactly are you here?"

Fury's gaze flickered to me for a brief moment, as if giving me a clue of what this is all about. The only problem is, I didn't get what he was hinting at. Or maybe I did...He did say he needs Tony alive.

"I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."

And the plot thickens...

END OF IRON MAN 1

—

Longest chapter I've ever written out of all my books...I think. This chapter contains 8.3K words.

I'm so glad the first Iron Man is over because y'all have no idea how excited I am for Hope to meet Natasha AAAAHHHHHH.

anyways, a couple of announcements. Sadly, I won't get to update as frequently as before, like daily (as y'all can probably tell already) because school just started therefore I have a lot going on. But rest assured that I still have a lot of motivation to write this book so I would always find time to write for it. Maybe twice a week. But then again, bear with me.

It took me a while to find the perfect engagement ring that Tony would give Hope because I want there to be a meaning behind it. You have no idea how many engagement rings are saved in my iPad right now. My boyfriend might get the wrong idea when he sees those. But still, I hope you guys loved the ring. I'm kinda nervous about it actually jskskskskssk.

I hope you guys enjoyed part one of LI1994's take on the MCU movies!