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innitmarvelous_og

innitmarvelous_og

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innitmarvelous_og

George was sipping on his morning coffee with a squirt of mustard as he sorted through the day's report. Matt finally shuffled into the precinct, probably already on his second cup of coffee and complaining the donuts were stale again.

"Good morning," George said, in a bright.

"Yeah, yeah," Matt grumbled.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Can we just get to our own work this morning without the commentary?"

"Susan and I have been discussing some possibilities for our family vacation this year."

Matt gave a grunt, "Let me take a guess. You want to go somewhere quiet, not doubt sensible resort geared towards Newcomers where they serve all the best uncooked steaks and a lot of clicks are heard all over the place."

He chose to ignore the jab. Instead, George replied with a smile, "Actually, we've been considering going to see one of the Earth's most famous geographical places. The Bermuda Triangle."

Matt spit out his coffee, nearly hitting Grazer as a result. The captain gave him a glare as he continued on, and after wiping his mouth Matt asked, "The Bermuda Triangle? Have you and Susan lost your minds?"

George gave his human partner a confused look, "No, Matthew, I don't believe that we've lost our minds. The Bermuda Triangle is home to some of the best resorts in that region of the Caribbean."

"None of which any of you should go near because of the ocean water! And let's not forget the fact, that throughout recorded history, all the ships and planes that have simple vanished without a trace when they go anywhere even close to the Triangle!"

George tilted his head, "They vanished without a trace? Surely you don't really believe all of those exaggerated accounts, do you?

Matt slammed the file in his hand down on his desk, "It's not exaggerated, George. But let's say you guys don't meet with some hostile supernatural force or with E.T. gone bad-"

"E.T. gone bad? Really, Matthew, have you forgotten that I and my family are all E.T.?"

"Exactly my point, George! There's no one else on this planet that salt water will reduced them to a puddle of goo, and you want to take your family to 500,000 square miles of it! I mean if one of you takes a wrong step, you're vacation becomes a memorial!"

The frown on George's face deepened, more because of the tone Matt was using than his actual words, "I am well aware of the fact we're vulnerable to the salt water, Matthew. But you should not that none of us are playing to go swimming in the ocean itself. The resorts we're looking into have precautions in place to keep all their Tenctonese guests safe."

"Safe?!" Matt barked, making a gesture, "You are talking about the Bermuda Triangle, George. I mean that's like saying you're going on vacation getaway in Chernobyl and you think the radiation won't be a problem because you stay indoors the entire time!"

Grazer popped his head out of his office before George could respond, "Hey, Sikes, Francisco, do I need to put you into different corners today? Stop the bickering and get back to your reports!" He glared at them both a moment longer then went back into his office.

Matt muttered something under his breath, then said in a more quiet tone, 'Seriously, George, you can't take your family there. It's a minefield of bad things waiting to happen: salt water, storms, planes dropping off radar-"

George picked up his now cold mustard-laced coffee, took a sip, then said, "Thank you for your concern for our safety and well-being, Matt. It is... touching. But I think that Susan and I are capable of considering all the factors and making a well thought out choice. We won't don anything that would put either Buck or Emily in danger."

Shaking his head, Mat stood up, "One day, Francisco, your idea of well thought out choice is going to drive me over the edge."

George chuckled, "Then I suppose it is a fortunate thing that you do not go on vacation with us."

"Okay, George, have it your way but don't expect me to feed your fish if the Triangle gets to you one way or another."

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innitmarvelous_og

Rhodey was running, the sound of his boots slammed loudly against the concrete floor of the sterile hallway. This dream was a nightly visitor so he knew where it ended and how. Despite that he kept running even as his lungs burned and his legs were heavy iron.

When he finally burst into the chamber, the world went eerily quiet except for the steady beat of the heart monitor.

Tony was already strapped down to the gurney with his sleeves rolled up. In the dream, the prison uniform was a bright orange instead of the blue Rhodey knew he had worn in reality. The orange one looked like wild fire against the white tiles of the execution chamber.

"Stop it! Don't do this!" Rhodey yelled as he tried to get to Tony. But he couldn't move as an invisible force held him in place. In the next room he saw a masked man work to insert the IV line into Tony's arm.

Tony turned his head to look at Rhodey, their eyes locking. There was no sarcastic quip or any sort of bravado from his brother. The only thing he saw where was resignation.

Then the warden gave a nod, and the plunger was pushed down.

"Tony!" His voice cracked on his name while the poison rushed into his veins.

Tony's began to falter, and then stopped altogether.

"Nooooooo! Please, noooooo!"

A monotone beep was heard, declaring Tony's heart had stopped.

Rhodey jolted awake. He sat up, drenched in sweat, gulping in air. Around him the room, his bedroom, was dark, still, and safe. His hands shook as pressed them hard to his face, trying to force the memory out of his mind. But the awful image of seeing Tony pale and lifeless on that gurney remained.

Monica stirred beside her husband and she touche his shoulder gently, concern in his voice as she asked, "Another one, James?"

He couldn't trust himself to speak, so Rhodey nodded.

Monica said, "That's the twelfth time this month."

"Yeah."

"You can't keep acting like everything's okay. Call him, James."

Rhodey looked at the clock, "It's three in the morning, Moni. Do I really need to wake Tony up at this hour?"

"Yes," she said firmly, "Because otherwise, you won't be able to go back to sleep."

With a sigh, Rhodey grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He found Tony's name and hit the dial button. The other side of the line rang twice before the expected groggy but unmistakable voice was heard.

".... Got a clue what time it is, Platypus?" Tony rasped, his tone only halfway irritated but mostly joking.

Rhodey exhaled slowly then rubbed his face as he answered, "Yeah, I know. I just.... needed to hear your voice, man. Had another one of those... horrible dreams again."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

When Tony spoke again, his voice was softer and gentler than Rhodey expected.

"I"m still here, Rhodey. I'm alive, able to draw deep breathes and my heart's pumping away in my chest cavity. Why ever your brains is torturing you with thee dreams, it's not reality. It didn't happen."

Rhodey felt Monica's hand on his shoulder.

His voice is thick as he replied, "Yeah, I just needed to... be reminded."

"I know. I'm on speed dial for that reason. Now, go back to sleep before Pepper wakes to find out that I am doing bedtime reassurance calls at ridiculous hours."

Rhodey laughed, "Yeah, thanks, Tones. Goodnight."

"Night, sourpatch."

Rhodey put his phone back on the nightstand.

"Feel better?" Monica asked.

He settled back down and pulled her to him, "Yeah, I do."

"Good. Now try to go back to sleep."

Rhodey nodded, and closed his eyes.

Tony's safe and he's not going anywhere.

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innitmarvelous_og

"I hate you!"

Katniss's hand immediately froze. She had been cleaning the game bird she'd shot earlier for dinner when she heard her son's sharper than an arrow voice.

"You're always following me around!"

The words felt like a blow to Katniss as she thought of her sister again. For a split second, she could see her sister's smile, and the sunlight making her hair look like spun gold. Her laughter, soft as a summer's breeze, echoed before she could swear she heard Prim calling her name.

"No," she muttered before she walked around the side of the house to the front.

"I hate you and I wish you would just go away!"

"Hey hey hey! Stop that!"

Both of her children jumped at her sudden appearance, and stern tone.

Katniss dropped to their level and looked them both in the eyes, "You don't say those kind of things to each other. Not to each other. Not ever to each other!"

Her son shifted his weight from one foot to another, his head dropped in shame, as her daughter sniffled, clearly hurt. Katniss took their hands and placed them in each other.

"You two don't have any idea about how lucky you are to have each other. I know only having each other to play with you, you can get on each others' nerves but I'd give anything to have my sister following me around again."

Of course, Katniss had explained to them in simple terms what had had happened to their Aunt Primrose and they both knew how much their mother missed her.

Her son turned to his sister, "I'm sorry I said that. I don't hate you... and I don't want you to go away."

The little girl enveloped her big bear hug in response, and Katniss gave a nod in relief.

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innitmarvelous_og

"Guess what?" Eva said that night at the dinner table.

"What, princess?" Tony replied as he passed the rolls to her brother.

"I'm going to be part of a mock jury in class this week!"

"Wow, princess, that's a really big responsibility! I know you'll do your best to be fair and impartial."

Eva nodded, "Of course, Daddy."

Ethan gave a snort, eyeing his little sister, "I bet she's gonna try to boss everyone around."

"Ethan!" Pepper said, "That's not a very nice thing to say about your sister!"

"Yeah, Eta, that wasn't very nice!" Eva said, turning a glare on her brother.

Ethan raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, I was just kidding around!"

"Well, I agree with your Mom and sister, champ. That joke wasn't a very nice one."

"Sorry."

Pepper turned back to her daughter, "Being on a mock jury sounds fun, sweetie, but I hope you remember to take it a little seriously too."

Eva nodded, "I will, Mommy."

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innitmarvelous_og

"Well?" Tony said to his wife as his son exited the elevator and started towards his room without saying a word.

Pepper stepped out into the penthouse with a sigh, shaking her head as she put down her purse and briefcase, "Well, Ethan's teacher says he's brilliant."

In response, the grin on Tony's face was not only huge but triumphant, "Well, of course he is! I mean he is a Stark, after all! I mean being brilliant is a genetic given, right? So, what is the problem exactly?"

"Well, the problem is, according to Miss Kirk, our son needs more maturity when it comes to working with others in group projects." She sighed again as she sat down beside him on the couch, "It seems that not everyone else in his class works at Stark-speed."

Tony's grin dimmed a little, winced, and he rubbed the back of his neck, "Okay, ouch. That... well that would be on me. I, uh, guess that I might've sorta taught him in some capacity that when you're surrounded by um incompetence, that it's a bit faster to just be hands on and do everything yourself."

Pepper crossed her arms, "Tony, he's twelve. Twelve! He can't act like this towards his classmates like they're under qualified interns!"

"Even if it's technically true," Tony muttered under his breath.

"Tony!"

Lifting his hands, Tony quickly added, "It's technically true but you're right, he shouldn't even if he is light years ahead of everyone in his group."

Pepper sighed once more, "Yes, he's got to learn how to be patient and collaborate. The world does not run on Stark-speed for most of the other people around him."

Tony chuckled, "Yeah, tell me about it. I mean the board of directors at SI never did figure out the difference between the arc reactor and a light bulb."

Although she tried to glare at him, Pepper couldn't quite hide the pull at the corner of her mouth, "You know I'm being serious, Tony. Ethan needs to grow into more than just being his Stark brain. He needs balance."

Tony put his arm on the back of the couch, and leaned back before he pulled her closer, "Okay, okay, I got the message. I'll talk to him. Maybe explain to him that he's gotta try to be more subtle instead of streamrolling people."

Pepper raised an eyebrow, "You? Try to teach our son about being subtle?" She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped.

"Heeeeey, don't laugh. You know I have learned a little bit about maturity over the years."

"Well, maybe you have... a little," she replied, leaning into his shoulder.

Tony chuckled, and kissed the top of her hair, "Well, the good news is then that between you and me, the kid's maybe got a fighting chance."

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innitmarvelous_og

Matt woke up gasping, his heart hammering. The dream he'd just woken up from had been too real. In it he and George had been chasing a suspect down by the docks with all its mazes of rusty railings and slick wooden planks. In his dream, the ocean was dark as it slapped against the pilings.

As he watched their suspect, Will O’Wisp, had suddenly turned with his eyes wide, and he then shoved George.

Hard.

Even while he sat there on the side of his bed trying to catch his breath, Matt could still see it all: The sickening moment when George's balance was lost, sending him towards the dark waters below. The moment he knew that there was no way he'd could do anything to stop it from happening.

He eventually laid back down, and tried to go back to sleep. But that had been a lost cause for that night as the nightmare of watching his partner fall to his death had been burned into his mind's eye. Then for the next three days, what he saw in his sleep continued to haunt him for the next three days: the echo of footfall on the wet planks, the heavy salt smell in the air, the sheer terror in George's eyes as he fell.

It was that Thursday, in the afternoon, when they'd been called about a burglary suspect near their location. When Matt heard the guy was spotted at the docks, Matt's stomach flopped, his lunch suddenly not settling so great.

Of course, George had noticed, "You're looking a little green, Matthew. Was it something you ate, or maybe it's a little seasickness?"

Matt had shrugged it off, "Yeah, something like that... and before you even say it, George, no I am not gonna sit this one out. The guy's hiding out at the docks. You know by the ocean? There's no way I'm about to let you go after another Newcomer who clearly having suicidal thoughts."

Thankfully, George hadn't argued the issue.

When they'd finally arrived, the air had smelled exactly the same way Matt remembered it smelling in the dream he'd had days before. When they got of their car, he told George to be extra careful.

"You too, Matthew."

Matt's pulse started roaring in his ears as they'd separated and begun to look for their suspect. Matt was searching around shipping containers when he heard George say over the radio that he'd spotted the suspect and was in pursuit.

"Where are you?" Matt asked immediately.

George hadn't responded, and with a choice word, Matt had taken off running in the direction he'd seen George go in.

Matt came around a stack of crates and that was when he caught sight of them. George was chasing O’Wisp down a narrow dock. The wood was old, it groaned under their pounding steps, and the ocean was below smashing darkly around the pilings.

Every single detail matched his dream.

The rusted railing.

The very way O’Wisp's head would jerk to look back over his shoulder.

Even down to the panicked determination that George would not catch him.

Matt's legs were burning as he pushed to his limits to get to them.

"George! Watch out!"

He gave no thought as he caught them then used all the force he had left in him to grab George and bring him down the ground.

"Matthew, what-?"

George was cut off as O’Wisp had turned and had made the motion to shove his pursuer into the water.

The fact his hands met air didn't stop O’Wisp, and he took off running again.

"Celine," George muttered, "He would have pushed me into the water."

Breathless, Matt nodded, "Yeah."

George didn't comment on it immediately but took out his radio to let dispatch know they'd lost the suspect.

"How did you know?" he then asked Matt.

"I just had a lucky feeling I guess."

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innitmarvelous_og

"I said, 'no', Eva," Pepper said, a serious look on her face, "And I meant NO."

Eva's face was frozen mid-pout, with her little arms crossed, and one foot tapped in frustration. She was five and a half, and she had her Daddy's charm paired with her Mommy's stubborn streak, finished off with a dramatic flair that belonged to her.

"Why, Mommy? It's only glitter!" she whined as she pointed to the unopened vials behind her.

Pepper got down to her level to meet her daughter's eyes, "Eva, I said no because the last time you used glitter, I had to throw out one of our good rugs and then call in Daddy to help me unstick your hair from the lamp."

"But that was an accident, Mommy, and I was littler then!"

"Yes, I know you were smaller then," Pepper said in a gentle tone, "But Mommy is still saying no now. You may paint or use your stickers. Or you can move on from craft entirely and play with your Legos but you may not use any glitter today."

When Eva responded to that final no she was dramatic enough with her sigh to be worthy of an Oscar, "Okay, fine. But next time, I so wanna use all the googly eyes I can find!"

Pepper laughed and stood up, "That'll be fine with me."

"Hey, did I hear something about glitter?" Tony asked poking his head in, "Do I need to put down industrial strength paint covering?"

"No, no, no, Tony! Stay where you are! The situation has been handled!"

"Daddy would've let me use glitter," Eva muttered.

"That's exactly why you are not allowed to ask Daddy."

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innitmarvelous_og

"I said, 'no', Ethan," Pepper said, a serious look on her face, "And I meant NO."

Ethan's jaw was tight as the eleven year old tried to hold back the clever retort that was running around in his head. He had his father's patented look of frustration on his face, and it wasn't a look that held any sway over his mother.

"But... but you said that I could go yesterday, he muttered, and folded his arms, "Dad even even said that it was fine!"

Pepper's voice was a leveled calm but gave me no hope that she'd relent, "But that was before I saw your math test score. You got a sixty-two, Ethan! Sixty-two! That's far from fine!"

Ethan turned his head, cheeks turning red, "It was harder than I thought it was going to be."

"I don't doubt that it was. Your teacher says you can retake the test to improve your grade, and your Dad will be helping you study for it. But you going to a party over getting started on being responsible for your school grades is not how things are done in our house. You're going to have to miss the party."

"But Mom, that's not fair!"

"Hey! Don't use that tone with your Mom," Tony said in a rare firm, no nonsense voice as he came into the room.

Ethan opened his mouth, closed it, then looked away, "Yes, sir. Sorry, Mom."

She nodded, "Thank you. Here, take a look at this." She handed the test paper to Tony.

A few seconds later, his eyebrows shot up, "Ethan, you got a sixty-two on this?"

The boy nodded.

"Did you study?"

"Sorta."

"What do you mean by 'sorta'?"

"I... I looked at it the night before the test."

"Ethan!" Tony said.

Pepper went further with, "Ethan Walter Howard Stark!"

Ethan winced when he heard his full name come from his mother's mouth and saw the look on her face that said he was in trouble.

"I know," Ethan mumbled, his gaze looked on his shoes.

Pepper's voice and gaze softened just a little as she said, "Ethan, you know we're not trying to be mean to you, right? It's just that your education is very important, and we want you to take it seriously. You know that you Dad and I have to work hard at the things we do everyday, and we both expect to see you put forth the same kind of effort in your schoolwork."

Tony nodded in agreement, "Tell you what, champ, let's make a deal. You study, really study with me every night this week for the retake of your test, and if you can bring your grade up to at least a B, then we can plan something special to do next weekend. Maybe we could go hit that new indoor sporting place you've been wanting to check out."

Ethan's face lit up, "Really, Dad?"

"Really," Tony confirmed, "But you really need to put forth your best effort and this should be the last time that either Mom or I have to have this conversation about you not studying like you're supposed to. Deal?"

Ethan bit his lip then nodded, "Deal. And Mom, I am sorry about my attitude and for not studying like I should."

Pepper smiled as Tony ruffled his hair, "That's my boy. Now, go get your math book because you and I have some work to get done before your bedtime comes around."

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innitmarvelous_og

Tony Stark came back but not all of him did.

Tony was very much a mortal man, and shouldn't have survived snapping his fingers and using all six of the Infinity Stones - yet he had for a few minutes afterwards. He had then continued to survive with the intervention of Stephen Strange. Strange had used the Time Stone to reverse time to the moment just before Tony died, then he had looped the moment.

Once Tony was frozen in time to the moment just before his death, he was quickly moved to Wakanda where their best doctors began working to save his life. The damage from the gamma radiation of the stones was extensive, and as Tony once told Bruce, that much exposure, should have killed him. It had, in fact, killed Tony but through the intervention of magic and the best medical technology Wakanda had to offer, he would survive in body.

Surviving in the soul was another matter entirely altogether.

The light in his eyes did not shine as bright, it was so much dimmer. He also didn't smile as much or as easily. He didn't want to tinker, he didn't joke, and the occasional Miss Potts no longer slipped from his lips. He also seemed afraid to hold Morgan as though he were afraid she was breakable and when he did, he looked like he was about to fall apart. ~~he would give Pepper a look~~

Of course, the professionals said he'd been through an incomprehensible ordeal which had brought with it unprecedented physical and mental trauma. They all said that he needed time, lots of time, to heal.

Pepper gave him time, space, and patience - of course she did.

And in the end, that almost broke her.

It was on a night after Morgan was in asleep in bed and after the house had fallen into quiet again, that Pepper found herself sitting along at the kitchen table, watching as the moonlight rippled on the lake's waters.

Finally, she blinked, coming out of the trance the light and her own thoughts had put her in. She reached across the table to pull the paper and pen she'd put there closer to her, and then she began to write.

Tony,

I don't want to write the words that I am about to write, but they are the truth: You have not been the same man you were before you stopped him. I feel it in every quiet moment between us, and again in every word that goes unspoken between us.

But you... no I need you to know this:

Iron Man is not the one I fell in love with.

The man I fell in love with is the man who once made me coffee the wrong way five days in a row just because he wanted to see me give him an exasperated smile.

I'm in love with the man who forgets our anniversary, but then he made me a necklace from some armor scraps he melted down.

I fell in love with the man who came home from Afghanistan all those years ago.

And I love the man who beat impossible odds to do it again, even if he's hurting with pain I can't began to imagine.

Tony, you don't have to be who you were, because it may not be possible.

I know the act of saving the world, the universe cost you something that I'm not sure I will ever fully understand.

That's okay.

I am just grateful you are still here with me, and I want you to stay here with me.

I promise you that we will find our why together through the dark.

I love you, Tony.

She stared at the last lines she wrote for a long time, and then she left it on the table by his chair on the porch, where he'd sit for hours staring at the lake.

The letter was gone the next morning.

She found a note by her favorite coffee cup, written on a napkin. It was only five words in Tony's unsteady handwriting (he'd had a hard time learning to do things with the new arm he's gotten in Wakanda), but it definitely belonged to him.

I'm still trying. Love you.

Pepper softly smiled, the first real one she'd had in weeks.

She felt encouraged, even though she knew they may never go back to being who they were before Tony snapped his fingers.

But maybe they would become something new.

Together.