𝒩𝑜𝓌 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓈𝒽𝑒'𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝓊𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎
Audelia Motter and Tony Stark had each other's backs through thick and thin. But after the abduction of the billionaire in Afghanistan by the Ten Rings...
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A gasp left her lips as she ran through the flames, falling to her knees beside Tony Stark's body. Audelia ripped front of her helmet off, throwing it away followed by the rest of it as she placed her hands on Tony's charred suit. Her hair blew through the wind that smelled of smoke as her eyes stayed trained on her best friend. The only ounce of reassurance she had was that his arc reactor still glowed in his suit.
With a sudden gasp, Tony's eyes popped open, looking around at his surrounding before finally landing on Audelia above him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her lips trembling as a smile fought it's way onto her face.
"This is why I said I wasn't making promises tonight,"
A laugh forced it's way out of the woman as she shook her head, bending down to let her forehead rest on the chest-piece of Tony's suit, her tears dropping onto the red and gold armor.
Tony lifted his arm ever so slightly, his armored hand resting on Audelia's back as he closed him eyes, letting a relieved sigh fall from his lips as the fire still raged around them.
That night felt like it was a thousand years ago. 2010, late at night on the roof as the arc reactor blew, Audelia waiting on the ground and feeling helpless, not knowing if the love of her life was alive up top. It was the night that began it all, the first time she put on the bits and pieces of her suit and followed Tony into the line of fire. It was the night that cemented the future legacy of Iron Man and Imperial.
Now, Audelia Stark stood in front of the full length mirror before her, donning the white Quantum suit just as her teammates, realizing that this was the end. This was it, the final stand, the end of the path that Tony Stark had started them on, the end of the life he had given them. The life that brought her Natasha, that brought her Steve, that brought them this family. They were about to risk everything to finish what they had started, so that they themselves could finally have the chance to rest.
Steve Rogers cleared his throat, announcing his presence as he walked up to his old friend, placing a hand on her shoulder. Deli watched him in the mirror, gazing over his matching suit, before finding his eyes.
"I haven't seen you this nervous since Germany,"
She let out a short laugh, turning to face her friend properly.
"There's a difference between normal nerves and being sick to your stomach,"
Steve's smile fell as he gripped her shoulder, keeping her eyes on him.
"This is going to work, Deli,"
The woman only nodded, holding his hand in her own as she looked up at him.
"I need you to promise me something, Steve," he only waited for her to continue. "Promise me that this won't be like Germany. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will have Tony's back, that you'll have my back. I...Aurora and Morgan need him. If something happens, if something happens to me...I need you to have his back, Steve. I need you to be there."
"Deli, nothing is going to happen to you-"
"Promise me," his frown deepened at the crack in her voice as he gripped her shoulder tightly in his hand.
"I promise. We have your backs, all of us,"
Natasha appeared in the doorway, looking between the pair with a tiny nod, and they knew it was time.
Audelia walked at Tony's side, both of them feeling the nerves of the other, as they walked with the team. It was silent, the entire team knowing what was at stake if they failed. The sun beat down through the compound windows as they all stepped onto the platform, gathering together.
"Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends... We lost family... We lost a part of ourselves," Tony's hand found Deli's as they gripped onto one another, silent as they watched Steve speak. "Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. But it doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win. Whatever it takes. Good luck."
Audelia moved over to Natasha immediately as everyone geared up to go. She didn't waste a second before pulling her into a tight hug, one that Natasha gladly reciprocated.
"Be careful, okay?" Deli spoke softly, pulling back with a smile. "I need my best friend to come back to me."
"Of course, you'd be a mess without me,"
Parting with a laugh, Audelia made her way over to Nathan, who already knew what was coming. She let out a sigh as she stood in front of him.
"Who would've thought, after all we'd been through, I'd be right here with you all," Nathan commented, looking around at the team with a proud smirk. "I'm just the doctor that was second best to Tony Stark."
The pair shared a laugh as Deli gave him a light shove, looking up with a grin.
"You're an Avenger now, Nate, whether I like it or not. And I don't," Nathan rolled his eyes as she continued. "I still don't like this, Nate. It's bad enough that Aurora and Morgan could lose Tony and I, but now Rora has to think about the possibly of losing you-"
"You two are going to come back to them," Nathan cut in, grabbing Audelia's face and turning her to look at him. "Aurora and Morgan aren't going to lose you two, I promise. Just be careful, and watch each other's backs."
Deli hesitated for a moment before tugging Nathan into a tight hug. He sucked in a breath, a frown crossing his features as he hugged her back, closing his eyes as he held in his tears and savored this moment.
Tony walked up to the pair as they pulled apart, Nathan turning to look at him. Tony cleared his throat, trying to find the words to say.
"Look, I know we've had our moments Nater Tot, but I just want to tell you to-"
Nathan pulled Tony into a tight hug, cutting off whatever else he was about to say. Tony was taken aback, but quickly hugged him back.
"You don't have to finish, I know," Nathan told him, pulling back as he clapped him on the shoulder. "Be safe."
"We'll see you when we get back," Audelia told Nathan as Tony pulled them into their positions. Nathan only nodded, taking his place beside Rhodey.
The platform whirled to life as the team stood around it, everyone taking a final deep breath. Natasha looked over to Audelia and Steve with a grin.
"See you in a minute,"
Nothing more could be said as everyone's helmets appeared the machine whirling with life as the team were sucked into the quantum realm and back into the past.
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