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A notification popped up on Tony's screen, an email from someone. He clicked on it, expecting a client to have a question or maybe want to schedule another meeting. But it wasn't. It was someone he knew, someone he thought he wasn't going to have to speak to again for a very long time.
'I know you've been a bit MIA for a while, but there's a mission coming up tomorrow and we need more people.
-Call me asap, Fury.'
He rolled his eyes, annoyed that somehow, his refuge wasn't doing what it was supposed to. He was meant to be retired. He was regretting not formally announcing his stepping back from all of the avengers stuff. Reluctantly and a large sigh, he grabbed his phone, dialling up Fury and getting ready to decline his lovely offer.
"This is Fury" the voice said at the other end.
"Hey there, it's Tony, gonna have to decline that special offer you gave me about that mission, I'm kind of busy...y'know...being a dad and all that" he explained. The words still felt unfamiliar in his mouth. never did he think he'd be arguing about not wanting to go kick ass because he was worried about leaving his daughter alone.
"I wasn't really asking Tony" Fury replied. Tony snorted. God he hated this man's ego. It was almost as big as Tony's and that was saying something. Although, the argument could be made that Florence had softened him somehow, made him less rough around the edges. Pepper told him that she could hardly believe he'd given up his lavish life in the city for a cabin in the woods just to help Florence feel better.
"I'm not leaving my family Fury, I'm not apart of that anymore" Tony stated.
"The team needs you Tony, it's not a negotiation" Tony rolled his eyes, getting more and more frustrated. He didn't understand.
"I'm not arguing this with you Fury" he snapped. But before he could continue arguing, Fury's voice rattled the phone.
"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow"
Then the line went dead.
Tony groaned, lashing out at the computer in front of him, kicking some tools onto the floor in anger. Of course it was then that Florence decided to come skipping in.
"Hiya Tony" she called, looking at the menagerie of tools and equipment on the floor. "Oh" she muttered. "Did you win the fight against...you're screwdrivers?" she asked, hopping up on the counter. He sighed deeply, having it turn into a growl at the end, his hands running through his hair.
"Sorry kid" he said, deciding he'd clean it up later.
"Are you ok?" she asked hesitantly. She hadn't seen Tony mad. She didn't know what he was like when upset, at least this angry where he's breaking things. Of course she'd seen him yell at a co-worker or bite the head off someone on the phone but never like this. He seemed like he'd explode with anger at any moment.
"Fine kid" he replied gruffly. He was never responding with more than two words.
"Who- who was on the phone?" she asked, trying to unpick why he was so mad.
"Just...someone I work with" he replied, sitting back down on his chair.
"could- could you say why you're so angry?" she asked concerned. She stood with a little more distance then she'd normally do, but she was unsure. She didn't know what Tony was like when angry. She had no clue how he'd act.
Tony's expression softened. He could see it now, the hesitation, her gaze that kept drifting around the room. She was nervous. And he was causing it.
"Nick Fury" he began. "He wants me to go on a mission, with the Avengers" he explained. "I said no but he doesn't seem to be listening"
"Oh" She replied.
"I'm not going kid, I gave that up as soon as I took you in" he stated firmly. Florence felt the warmth of protection and comfort absorb her.
"But...if he's calling, doesn't that mean he needs your help?" she asked.
"It doesn't matter, Flo, I'm staying here with you and Pep, not fighting god knows what" he sighed, frowning at another email stating the details for tomorrow.
"I don't mind Tony" she decided. Deep down, she knew Tony was an Avenger. He put up the façade that he was selfish, arrogant and maybe a bit stuck up, but she knew that wasn't true because deep down her loved helping people, in any way he could. She didn't want to keep him from that. "You should go and help" she said simply, watching as Tony's face contorted in a million different thoughts and feelings in seconds.
"I don't have to go" he said slowly. She could tell he was coming around to the idea.
"Tony, I don't love the idea of you going to fight crime or whatever you guys do, but I know you won't be able to stop thinking about it if you don't. Plus, you never actually said you'd retire" she explained thoughtfully. Tony was floored. How did she know him so well? It didn't make any sense, was she really that observant? Had she been talking to Pepper behind his back? He chuckled softly to himself. The kid was right.
"You're right...about many things kid I'll give you that" he smirked, picking up some of the collateral damage of his anger from the floor. "I really should've made a stupid public announcement about retiring" he muttered, loud enough so Florence could hear. She smiled in response. "After this kid, I mean it, I'm done with the whole Iron Man thing" he declared. "Well maybe not the building part, I'll be the mechanic for as long as i can. But the fighting part might be done for me"
"I think you'd make a good mechanic for the Avengers" she smiled.
He nodded, understanding what she meant.
She wanted it too. Even if she wouldn't or couldn't admit it, she would rather he not go out in danger.
So this would be the last one. And he meant it this time.
He took out his phone, watching as Florence walked back out of the lab, probably to go relay this information to Pepper and waited for the big man himself to pick up.
"Tony?" Nick fury asked. "I assumed you've come to your senses?" he prompted.
"I'm only saying yes because the kid is ok with it. But this is the last one Fury, after this I'm done." he snapped.
"I'm retiring after this" he said plainly. Fury didn't reply for a moment, which surprised Tony immensely, he didn't know the man could be tongue tied or even shut up for that matter.
Relaying the news to Pepper was harder. She worried more openly and loudly.
"You said Tony!" she yelled. "You said you were done!"
"I know Pep" he sighed, regretting more and more that he never made that goddamn public statement.
"What about Florence?!" she asked angrily.
"She encouraged it, and I promised her just as I am you that this is it, after this I'm retiring and telling everyone the news" he explained, hoping and praying that this would settle her down, not that her anger wasn't valid. He'd be pissed at him too, well...he kind of was but if anyone deserved to yell at him it was Pepper. It was always Pepper. She's put up with too much to not earn the right to call him on his bullshit.
"You mean it Tony?" she asked seriously. "Because this is a family, you said so Tony" she reminded, tossing his own words back at him. He deserved it.
"I do Pep. I swear it" he insisted. Her gaze faltered. She was giving in.
"You better, otherwise I'll give this large ass company back to you and put you in so many meetings you won't have a minute to yourself"
Tony nodded, smiling slightly. Because he knew she meant it. Every single word. And he couldn't be more in love.
That Monday Florence had never felt so nervous. She knew he'd done this hundreds of times before and even saved the earth once or twice. So why was she so worked up? He'd left early in the morning, she'd heard him creep int her room, whispering a goodbye and slowly tip-toeing back to where a car was waiting for him.
She couldn't sit still and frankly, she was regretting ever letting him go. She should've put up more of a fight. Maybe begged him not to go, why did she have to be the stupid bigger person?
Pepper was home thankfully, who seemed equally as on edge.
"So what...we just sit here until he gets back?" Florence asked exasperated. Pepper smiled weakly, tapping her foot on the floor receptively.
"Pretty much sweetie" she sighed.
"How did you do this, like...all the time?" she asked in confusion. She wanted it all to be over and the day had only just begun, she couldn't fathom doing this weekly.
"With a lot of distraction and sheer determination" Pepper laughed.
"I don't think I have that kind of power inside of me" Florence whined.
Tony was regretting his decision. It was dark, cold and the mission was borderline screwed. They had entered just fine, it was probably abandoned, at least that's what he'd been told. Abandoned. As in, no one should be around.
But after Tony had entered the room with all the pretty computers and information, alarms blared and people swarmed from all directions. Bucky was behind him, using his arm to swing people in all directions. They clattered to the floor, cascading in a series of waves. Tony blasted people here and there, moving them away from the computers as he typed in the code he needed and stuck the USB into the side.
Someone jammed a tool in the neck of his suit, making a hiss of sounds directly by his ear. Warnings popped upon his screen, FRIDAY blasting precautions and solutions everywhere.
"Boss, there is a disruption on the right side of the suit" FRIDAY called. Tony was mid way throwing someone off of his side.
"I know that!" he yelled back, pressing the space button, waiting for the download too finish. "Can someone else please do the computer shit while I get these idiots off of me!?" Tony yelled down the coms.
There was static, then a small crackle.
"We're all busy Tony!" Steve responded. He rolled his eyes, hoping they could sense it through the coms.
"See this is why I'm retiring" he sighed, hoping they caught some of that too. The only thing this mission was proving was that he wasn't cut out for this anymore. The anxiety surrounding it all was paralysing enough, he didn't need this extra shit in his life. Not when he had more important things to think about, like the two women at home who were waiting for him.
He sighed finally, smashing the guys head in the wall, watching as the download bar continued to slowly fill up. Why did the bad guys never have fast internet?
Bucky walked back in, flexing his hand slightly, using his flesh one to wipe away the blood trickling down his forehead.
"We're going to make this quick Tony" Bucky promised, slamming the door closed before more people could come storming in. The alarm was still blaring, making all of their ears ring slightly. Bucky's hands moved to an electrical box, opening it violently, almost ripping it off it's hinges and messed with the wires. It was then that the ringing stopped and everything went back to eerily silent. "Like I said, quick" he said, pleased with himself. Tony smiled slightly, his suit thankfully hiding his expression from Barnes, it would only give the wrong impression.
Finally, the loading finished and Tony snatched the drive, throwing it to Bucky, watching him catch it and place it in his pocket, running out to meet the others.
They were done.
Finally.
Hearing that Tony was back was probably the best part of her day. She had spent it on the sofa, watching tv silently, with Pepper walking in and out, watching her from afar as she made calls for work. She jumped up, running to the car where Pepper promised she'd drive her to the tower, so they could be with the rest of the team for a bit before travelling back to the cabin. She wanted to be there as soon as he was back in New York.
They were both on the roof, watching as the jet landed gracefully.
Nat and Steve walked out with Bucky close behind and Clint was busy being lectured by Tony who had stepped out of the suit and was carrying it in his case so casually. He smiled when he saw them both, watching as Florence bounced about, just as she did when excited. Tony had missed that. She had so little to be excited about recently, that was the first time he'd seen it since the accident, and it was to him coming back home. Something rose within him, that feeling of pride and love.
"Hey kiddo, miss me?" he asked after kissing Pepper for a second too long. She jumped up, wrapping her arms over his neck, her feet dangling in the air. "I'm taking that as a yes" he huffed, smiling.
"She's made you soft Tony" Steve chimed, smirking before walking in continuing his nudging of Bucky's shoulder every few minutes.
"Ha ha" he mocked , ruffling Florence's hair slightly.
"Retiring" Pepper repeated.
"Yes Pep, I meant it, that whole mission just made me settle on my decision more, I hated every minute of it" he explained, pulling her closer by the waist as they walked to the doors, following everyone else.
But then there was a noise.
A rustle.
Florence's head turned, scanning where the noise had come from.
It was a man, dressed in black, with a gun. She screamed, capturing the attention of Tony and Bucky, who were just in the doorway of the tower.
The man's hands wrapped around her neck, and she froze. Just like that.
"Come any closer and she dies" the man snapped.
"Let her go!" Tony yelled, unclicking the suit case, wondering if he could summon a suit to Florence, encasing her body and keeping her safe. Or would it cause the man to shoot.
"Just give me the hard drive and I'll let her go" the man coaxed, stroking the top of Florence's head, making her squirm at his touch. Her face was pale and eyes wide with terror. Tears pricked the sides of her eyes as she breathed heavy, close to hyperventilating. Tony's head whipped around to Bucky, who had it in his pocket. He hoped Barnes wouldn't be so stupid as to not give the man what he wanted but if need be, Tony would rob it from his hands if he had to.
"Give it to him Barnes" Tony snarled, offering his hand out to take it from him.
Swiftly, he pulled the small device out of his pocket and tossed it to Tony. Florence was crying harder now, trying to dig her nails into the man's arm, only to have his grip grow stronger, restricting her air ways. She was panicking, she trusted Tony, she did, with all her heart. But something told her he wasn't going to just let her go.
Tony held the USB drive in between his fingers, moving his hand in the attacker's direction. "Now let her go" he demanded. There was this thick underlying rage within Tony's voice, the kind that scared her, deeper than anything she'd ever felt. Her body was rigid, hating the confinement of the criminal's arms and wished she could run to them. Any of them. Pepper was stood behind both Tony and Bucky, looking just as terrified as she felt while Tony and Bucky tried getting this solved without anyone getting hurt.
The man took the USB, just as he slammed the back of his gun into Florence's head, making pain shoot up her head and into her eyes, making them water and sting. The air was snatched out of her lungs, she fell forward, hearing the yells from everyone. Within seconds, the man tried running but was shot by Tony as soon as he lifted the gun off of Florence's head. She felt the heat from the floor.
Suddenly people were by her side, rolling her over to her back, making her cry out in pain. The pressure on her head pulsating furiously as questions were thrown at her. Why were there so many questions? It was pretty obvious as far as she could tell, someone slammed their gun into her skull. Hurts like a bitch, what more is there to know?
It wasn't like she could actually focus on anything anyway. Their voices had combined into a cacophony of noise rattling around her head. She knew questions were being asked, just not what they were or by who.
Tony begged Florence to focus on him, to try and open her eyes more, as they were staying at a droopy purgatory where she was neither awake or asleep. The back of her head was bleeding, he knew that much. He needed more, but she wasn't speaking to him, only fighting to stay awake by what it seemed.
That was what she was supposed to do right? Stay awake? Not pass out? She couldn't tell.
Every thought she had became another and morphed into something different entirely, letting her completely forget about what she was just thinking about-
It was just darkness now. She'd closed her eyes.
Shit.
Tony was panicking.
Well, maybe that was an understatement.
He was more than panicking. The kid had passed out and was now limp on the tower's roof.
Tony took initiative quickly, not thinking about the man he'd just shot dead a couple seconds ago and scooped up Florence's limp body and ran to the med bay. There were some of the other avengers in there, wiping blood off and bandaging minor injuries. When they saw Florence all of them fell silent.
"What the hell happened?!" Steve asked.
"There was someone on the jet, he threatened Flo and jammed his gun into her head - she - she just dropped to the floor" he explained frantically, buzzing for a doctor to get down here.
Florence woke up in a different room than before. There were walls, no breeze from the outdoors and everything was a little bright, too bright.
"Hey kiddo" someone familiar said softly. She squinted, opening an eye to check where she was.
It was Tony.
A stressed and tired looking Tony, but still Tony.
The emotions encompassed her, demanding to be let out. She had no choice. Tears streamed down her face as soon as she saw him sat on the edge of her bed with that reassuring smile and warm demeanour. The man. The gun, being hit.
All of it swirled around her like a carousel.
"Hey, hey" Tony began frantically, placing a hand on her arm. "You're okay kiddo, you're safe" he reminded her watching as she realised where she was. She felt the back of her head, making a wave of thumping pain flow slowly around the back of her head. She winced slightly. "Yea that's going to be a bit sore for a while kid" he sympathised.
"Where - what did - is he?" she stammered.
"The man's dead Flo" Tony answered. She paused, not completely surprised. She didn't think anyone could survive being blasted by Iron Man.
"You...you shot him?" she asked. She wasn't actually 100% sure why she was asking, it didn't make a difference. If he's dead he's dead.
"Yea kid, and Bucky got a few in too" he remarked, a small smile making it's way onto his face. It was a little unnerving. She was happy the man was gone, it was a weight off of her shoulders, but she didn't want to think about the joy or satisfaction that the team got from it. She tried sitting p, shuffling up the bed but was quickly stopped by Tony's hand.
"No, no, no" he sputtered, his hand on her shoulder. "Careful there honey" he said softly. He knelt down to the bottom of the bed where there was a control panel and pressed a button, making the bed rise up, pushing her into a sitting up position.
Florence paused slightly at the term of endearment. She'd been 'kid' or the occasional 'Flo' but 'honey' was new. She didn't bring it up, mostly because as soon as she'd realised what he had said, her brain had moved on. It was like her brain was full of feathers.
"Am i..." Florence began. She wanted to ask a question but as soon as she started, it all fizzled out of her brain. "I feel very - uh"
"You're hopped up on some painkillers Kiddo if that's what you're getting at" he smiled, amused thoroughly by her brain fog. "Plus you got hit on the head pretty good" he sympathised.
"Oh ok, so its - drugs...not me" she sighed thankfully, she didn't want to think she had become dumb all of a sudden. Tony chuckled slightly, not wanting to startle her in any way. The doctor said she could be sensitive for a while, especially while on the pain killers.
Then there was a knock on the door.
Bucky walked in with Steve close behind.
"Hey Florence" Steve called smiling slightly at her. She lifted up her hand in response, giving a weak smile.
"How're you feeling? Your head ok?" Bucky asked, standing near the head of the bed.
"Very fuzzy" she replied. "And m'on drugs" she added for good measure, which got a laugh from everyone.
"Hopefully not for much longer kiddo, doc said we could leave once you're feeling up to it" Tony said, tapping her hand carefully.
"Home?" she asked drowsily.
"Yea kid, back to the cabin." He responded, even though he wasn't entirely sure how much of what he was saying was actually going in.
"M'kay, its nice there" she whispered. "less bright" she added, a hint of frustration within her voice. Tony smiled, enjoying high Florence, even though he would much rather prefer that she not have a head injury, the loopy and unfiltered Florence was a small bonus.
"Go back to sleep kiddo, once you wake up we'll head on the road, ok?" Tony said quietly, dimming the lights.
"Don't go..." Florence whispered, half asleep as she felt Tony move.
"I'm not going anywhere honey" he replied, sitting on the chair by her bed, watching as Steve and Bucky stood up to head back to the tower.
"Thanks dad" Florence muttered deliriously.
Tony's head shot up in shock. His eyes grew wide as he stared at Florence fast asleep. Steve and Bucky turned around half way out the door, equally as surprised.
"Did you hear that-?" Steve asked.
Tony was too busy trying not to break down into a puddle of tears.
"I heard" He whispered in response, not taking his eyes off her. "Keep walking you two, and not a word" he hissed, still trying to keep his voice even. The two super-soldiers left, glancing back every so often and closed the door softly behind them. "FRIDAY..." he whispered so softly, he wasn't sure she'd hear.
"Yes Boss?" she replied in the same hushed tone.
"Tell me you got that on video?" he hoped, wishing Pepper had been in the room when it happened.
"I did boss, would you like me to put it in the designated folder titled 'Future Flo Blackmail' ?" she asked.
"Definitely, and send the clip to Pepper" he added, wondering how fast it would take for her to beg them to come home.
The second time she woke up, she could actually tell where she was and what had happened. As well as everything being clearer now and not covered in the drug induced haze she was previously in.
"Hey kid" Tony said, still in the same spot she last saw him in.
"Hm.." she responded, still amazingly tired.
"How're you feeling?" he asked.
"Less high" she responded, feeling like her body weighed double than she remembered.
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Tony mused, hearing the disappointment in her voice.
"Right now...bad because it feels like I've been hit with a bunch of bricks" she sighed, rubbing her hands over her face.
"Comes with having your head smashed in" he replied, moving her hair out of her face. She shut her eyes momentarily, thinking about how much she wished she could be in her own bed, in her room, listening to the stream by the house and birds chirping outside.
"Right...right" she replied, her voice rough.
"Do you wanna start heading back honey?" he asked, looking at how tired she seemed.
Honey. So she hadn't imagined it in her drugged haze.
"Mhm" she mumbled.
"Do you think you can get up?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to lift herself off of the bed. She nodded, grabbing hold and manoeuvring herself to the edge. It was all a bit wobbly but nothing crazy.
With the help of Tony practically carrying her to the car, she sat in the front seat, leading into the coolness of the window and watched as people waved goodbye to her, all with matching sympathetic and guilty looks on their faces.
"Why do they all look like someone kicked their puppy?" Florence asked, looking at the avengers as they drove off.
"They all felt a little bad" Tony replied. "And I may've gotten a bit angry" he added slowly.
Florence gasped loudly, twisting her head a bit too fast to talk to him. "Da- Tony!" she yelled. Her heart hammered in her chest, panicking over what she had almost said. But Tony didn't seem to pick up on it. "What did you say to them?!" she demanded.
"Just that I didn't want to go on the dumbass mission anyway and if I hadn't been forced into it, you wouldn't have gotten hurt and that they should've been more careful, no one knew that that man was in the Quinjet with us" he explained.
Florence rolled her eyes.
"It wasn't a big deal Tony, I'm fine" she sighed, annoyed by his overprotectiveness, even if a small part of her did revel in having someone who cared that much. Tony scoffed in response.
"Flo, it is a very big deal. You got hurt and that was a direct consequence of me being in the Avengers. And this was a big part of the reason why I was wanting to retire beforehand. You almost got shot and that will never not be a big deal to me" he lectured, using the serious voice that made Flo want to crawl into her own skin. "You're the number one important thing in my life kiddo" he admitted. "I don't know if I needed to tell you that but I'm going to anyway because I love you Flo." he decided.
Florence nodded, fiddling with her hands a lot. She wasn't used to such direct affection.
"Thank you Tony" she whispered. "I love you too" she replied, smiling at how something so amazing could be the result of almost dying.
The rest of the drive home was quiet, with Tony's music playing softly in the background as Florence drifted in and out of sleep the whole way home.