May 24th - 2009
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Tony paced back and forth in his workshop, the tension in the air palpable as he turned to Stephen, who was seated calmly in his cat form on the workbench. His blue eyes were half-lidded, giving the impression of indifference, though Tony knew better. Stephen always noticed everything.
"Hey," Tony said, stopping abruptly. "You busy?"
Stephen lazily flicked his tail. "You're the one keeping me here, Anthony. What do you think?"
Tony smirked faintly. "Good, then you don't mind running an errand for me."
Stephen arched an eyebrow—or at least the feline equivalent of one. "An errand?"
Tony grabbed a small lock chip from the table and held it up. "I need you to go to my office. You're going to hack into the mainframe and retrieve all the recent shipping manifests. This is a lock chip—it'll get you in. Look for Executive Files. If it's not there, check for a ghost drive and look under the lowest numeric heading."
Stephen stared at him for a long moment before letting out an exasperated sigh. "You're serious."
Tony shrugged. "Dead serious."
Stephen's tail flicked again, his eyes narrowing. "And what, pray tell, do you plan to do with this information once I bring it back?"
Tony leaned against the workbench, his expression growing more serious. "Same drill. They've been dealing under the table. I'm going to find my weapons, and I'm going to destroy them."
Before Stephen could respond, Pepper walked into the workshop with a cup of tea in hand that she had gotten to herself to calm herself after seeing Tony getting out of the suit. "What's going on here?" she asked, her tone already wary.
Tony gestured to Stephen. "I'm sending him on an errand. Don't worry about it."
Pepper crossed her arms, her gaze flicking between Tony and the cat. "What kind of errand?"
"I need the shipping manifests from the mainframe in my office," Tony explained. "Cat!Stephen's going to get them for me."
Pepper's eyes widened slightly as she processed the idea. "You're sending a cat to hack into your office?"
Stephen sighed, his voice dry as he spoke. "Don't sound so surprised. I'm more than capable."
Pepper turned to him, her expression softening slightly. "Stephen, you know I trust you, but... this sounds dangerous."
Stephen hopped down from the workbench, padding over to her with measured steps. "It's a calculated risk, and one I'm willing to take." He glanced back at Tony. "Someone has to clean up his messes."
"Hey!" Tony protested, though there was no real heat in his tone.
Pepper still looked unsure, biting her lip as she shifted her weight. "What if something goes wrong?"
Stephen looked up at her, his eyes steady. "I'll be fine. All I need is someone to get me there. I can handle the rest."
Pepper hesitated for a moment longer before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll take you, but you'd better be careful."
Tony grinned, tossing the lock chip toward Stephen, who instead of catching it himself, it was the bandana-turned-cloak, the one to catch it effortlessly. "See? I told you he's the best."
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Pepper carried Stephen into the Stark Industries building, her arms holding him carefully as they made their way through the halls. She'd wrapped him in a sleek black bag to avoid drawing attention, though she could still feel his faint purring as they moved.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she muttered under her breath.
"Not particularly," Stephen replied softly. "But I'll admit it's been a while since I've done something... covert."
They reached Stark's office without incident, and Pepper sat at the desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she plugged the drive into the system. Stephen sat perched on the desk beside her in his cat form, his gaze fixed intently on the screen.
"Sector 16?" Pepper muttered under her breath, a frown creasing her brow. "What are you up to, Obadiah?"
As the video loaded, Stephen tilted his head, his ears twitching. The distorted voice of the Ten Rings leader began to play, and Pepper's face went pale as the video revealed Tony, bound and battered, surrounded by armed terrorists.
You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark. As you can see, Obadiah Stane... your deception and lies will cost you dearly. The price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up.
Pepper's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, my God," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Stephen's tail lashed once, his sharp eyes narrowing. So, it's true, he thought grimly. Stane really did sell Tony out.
Before Pepper could fully process what she was seeing, the door opened behind her, and Obadiah Stane's voice filled the room.
"So," Obadiah said, his tone casual but laced with underlying menace, "what are we going to do about this?"
Pepper froze, her blood turning cold as she turned to see Obadiah strolling toward her, his hands in his pockets and an unsettlingly calm smile on his face. Stephen's fur bristled, but he remained still, his sharp gaze locked on Stane.
"I know what you're going through, Pepper," Obadiah continued, his voice smooth. "Tony. He always gets the good stuff, doesn't he?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I was so happy when he came home. It was like we got him back from the dead. Now I realize, well, Tony never really did come home, did he? He left a part of himself in that cave. Breaks my heart."
Pepper forced a tight smile as she sees the drive sliding out slowly of the computer and hiding itself under a nearby newspaper, probably one of Stephen's spells. "Well, he's a complicated person," she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her. "He's been through a lot. I think he'll be all right."
Obadiah stopped in front of her, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he smiled again. "You are a very rare woman," he said. "Tony doesn't know how lucky he is."
"Thank you," Pepper replied, standing and grabbing the newspaper with the drive hidden underneath. "Thanks. I'd better get back there."
As she moved to leave, Obadiah's eyes fell on the newspaper in her hands. "Is that today's paper?" he asked, his tone still pleasant but now tinged with suspicion.
Pepper hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Yes."
"Do you mind?" Obadiah asked, holding out his hand.
Pepper forced another smile, handing him the paper. "Not at all."
Obadiah unfolded the newspaper and scanned it, his smile never faltering. "Puzzle," he remarked casually.
"Of course," Pepper replied, her heart pounding in her chest.
As soon as she stepped out of the office, she spotted Agent Coulson waiting in the hallway. Relief washed over her as she quickly approached him.
"Ms. Potts?" Coulson said, his tone polite but confused. "We had an appointment. Did you forget about our appointment?"
"Nope, right now," Pepper said quickly, her voice firm as she grabbed his arm. "Come with me."
"Right now?" Coulson asked, clearly puzzled.
"Yes, we're going to have it right now. Walk with me," Pepper insisted, her pace brisk as she led him down the hall.
"Okay," Coulson said, following her without further question.
Stephen trotted silently beside them, his keen senses on high alert. As they moved through the hallway, he glanced back and saw Obadiah returning to the desk. The moment Obadiah's expression darkened, Stephen knew he'd discovered the files had been downloaded.
"Damn," Stephen muttered under his breath, his ears flattening. "We need to move faster."
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Pepper sat in the back of Coulson's car, her hands trembling slightly as she scrolled through the files on a laptop Coulson had handed her. The video of Tony being held hostage played on the screen again, the distorted voice of the Ten Rings leader echoing ominously in the enclosed space.
Coulson frowned deeply, his usually calm demeanor cracking slightly as he processed the implications. "If this video is legitimate," he said, his voice carefully measured, "then your suspicions about Stane are far more serious than we realized."
Pepper nodded, her voice strained. "He's been dealing under the table for who knows how long. Tony had no idea, and now... now he might be in danger."
Stephen sat curled up on the passenger seat, his blue eyes half-closed as he appeared to be resting. But Pepper knew better. His tail twitched rhythmically, a subtle sign that he was listening intently.
"Ms. Potts," Coulson continued, his tone softer now, "we need to get you somewhere safe. If Stane realizes what you've uncovered, he won't hesitate to come after you."
Pepper hesitated, glancing at Stephen. "I'm not leaving Tony alone in this. If Obadiah—"
Coulson was quick to intervene. "He won't come after you yet. Not until he's secured what he needs. Stane is desperate, but he's also calculated."
"And how exactly do you know that?" Pepper asked, dubious.
"Because I've seen men like him before."
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As Coulson made some calls to call more agents beside the five that were already with them, Stephen shifted into a meditative posture, his breathing slowing as he closed his eyes. Pepper glanced at him, worry flickering across her face, as she whispered, "Stephen? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he replied quietly. "I need to check something. Stay near Coulson."
Pepper clearly wanted to ask more,but she didn't interrupt as Stephen's breathing deepened and his small body grew still.
Within moments, Stephen's consciousness slipped into the temporal web, the threads of time stretching out before him like a vast, ever-shifting tapestry. He focused on the threads tied to Tony Stark, his senses attuned to the faint vibrations of the timeline. It didn't take long for the familiar vision to emerge: the hulking gray suit, the Iron Monger, stomping through a battlefield of fire and destruction.
But this time, there was more, probably because the future was getting clearer, nearer.
A voice echoed faintly within the suit, distorted but unmistakable: Obadiah Stane.
Stephen's focus sharpened, and the vision grew clearer. The gray suit loomed large, its design crude but powerful. And then Stephen's eyes were drawn to the glowing blue light at its center—the arc reactor embedded in its chest. His heart clenched as realization dawned. Not just any arc reactor… Tony's arc reactor.
The vision shifted again, faster this time, blurring as though trying to show him something critical. Flashes of Tony's face appeared, pale and straining, veins standing out against his skin. He was clawing at his chest, trying to drag himself across the stairs to the lab.
Stephen's eyes snapped open, his breathing ragged as pain flared in his temples. He squinted, willing the headache to subside. "Damn it," he muttered.
"Stephen?" Pepper's voice was sharp with concern. "What is it?"
Ignoring the pain, Stephen turned to her, his expression grim. "Call Tony. Now."
Pepper didn't hesitate, pulling out her phone and dialing Tony's number. It rang endlessly, each unanswered tone tightening the knot of dread in Stephen's chest.
"There's no answer," Pepper said, her voice trembling.
Stephen's jaw tightened. "I'm going to him."
Not caring if Coulson saw, he formed a portal. Golden sparks erupted in the air as Stephen stepped through without a backward glance, the swirling light closing behind him.
He emerged in the middle of Tony's workshop and immediately froze. Tony was on the ground outside the lab, his skin pale and slick with sweat. His veins stood out in sharp relief, dark and spider-like as they crept outward from the hollow in his chest where the arc reactor should have been.
Tony's trembling hand stretched toward the lab table, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "JARVIS..." he rasped weakly. "Activate…"
"Anthony!" Stephen's voice was sharp as he rushed to Tony's side, kneeling beside him. "What happened?"
Tony's lips moved, but no sound came out. His hand fell limp against the floor.
Stephen's gaze darted around the room, his mind racing. And then he saw it: the glass case Pepper had insisted on keeping, the old arc reactor gleaming faintly inside.
"Stay with me, Anthony," Stephen muttered, rising to his feet. He stretched out a paw, and the glass case shattered with a faint flick of telekinesis. The arc reactor flew into his palm, its glow steady and reassuring.
Stephen transformed back into his human form in a flash of golden light, his cloak materializing around his shoulders as he knelt beside Tony. His fingers trembled slightly as he aligned the arc reactor with Tony's chest. "This is going to hurt," he warned softly, though Tony was barely conscious enough to hear him.
With a steady push, Stephen inserted the reactor into the hollow. A faint click echoed through the room as it locked into place. Tony's body arched violently, a strangled gasp ripping from his throat as the reactor flared to life. He then used some healing diagnostic spell to see what was wrong with him.
Short-term paralysis.
With a wave of his hand, he healed him, the veins receded slowly as Tony's breathing steadied, his chest rising and falling as color returned to his face. Tony's eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first but slowly sharpening. "You really… like saving my ass… don't you?" he rasped weakly.
Stephen let out a shaky laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Someone has to keep you alive."
Tony smirked weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm starting to think you enjoy it."
Stephen didn't respond, his blue eyes scanning Tony's face carefully. "You're going to be fine. Just don't push yourself."
Tony's smirk faded as he stared up at Stephen, his expression softening. "Thanks, Steph."
Stephen exhaled, his relief finally breaking through his usual composure. "Don't thank me yet. We're far from done."
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