Chapter Text
Tony was injected with a watered-down version of the Capsicle Serum (FRIDAY refused to change the name) a month before his surgery. Strange, Bruce, and Doctor Wu made him wear a medical scanner disguised as a cuff bracelet for the weeks up to his surgery to make sure that he wouldn’t go explody.
“I don’t care how much you hate it! You are doing this for yourself and Peter,” Maggie had scolded him, “You are going to live a long life so you can watch him grow up and make the world a better place.”
He had hugged her and promised that he’d outlive her just for spite and that he loved her too. She had swatted him and gone off to spend her daily hour with JARVIS and FRIDAY getting them prepared for her trip. He wasn’t ready for her to go, but she assured him that it would only be a few months.
His surgery was successful and two weeks later he found himself standing with Maggie at the edge of the cliff where the Malibu mansion had been. Maggie leaned forward and he grabbed her shirt in a panic as she looked down at the ocean, “Are you going to re-build?” She stood straight and looked him in the eyes.
“No. Not right now.” As he let go of her shirt, Tony felt something under his boot. Bending down he picked up a shorty flathead screwdriver, “Maybe someday.”
She leaned against him and took his hand, “You should, but this time it will be entirely your own instead of a ghost of Howard’s.”
Tony smiled at her, “You’re right. Peter and I should design it together and then maybe it’ll feel more like his when he inherits it.” They stood in silence for a bit, “Do you have to leave us?”
“Yes, the threat to the Nine Realms is increasing… The Marauders are waging war on Vanaheim and it’s my responsibility to make sure my people are safe,” She blinked back tears, “I don’t want to leave, but I must. I’ll be back. We’ll be back,” She corrected as she spotted Loki and Thor in the old driveway.
“Be safe. Win many battles. Bring me something good back,” Tony forced a smile and hugged his sister. “Love you, sis,” he whispered in her ear before pulling back and letting her go.
She stepped back and went to stand with Thor and Loki, “We’ll be back before you know it!” She called out before the Bifrost took them away.
Tony stood there and blinked down at the markings on his driveway, “no respect for other people’s driveways.” Shaking his head, he stepped back into his suit.
“I think it enhances upon the abandonment feel of the drive,” JARVIS said as the suit, Mark 40, AKA ‘Shotgun’ encased him.
“Well, we can design the new driveway around it and make it Mag’s mandatory landing pad.
“I will let her know when she comes home that she inspired a trend in driveways, Sir,” JARVIS teased. The suit adjusted for its supersonic flight, “Flight plan for New York City, Midtown is set. ETA 35 minutes.”
“Let’s go home, J.”
Tony Stark will return…
…And so will Maggie.