"Tony… hey Tony, we've landed."
He wakes up with a start and for a moment, he doesn't know where he is. But just as quickly, he does. Tony Stark opens his eyes and groans as he looks up into the smiling face of his best friend, one Colonel James Rhodes. Rhodey. Though… no, not Colonel. Not yet. Still Lieutenant Colonel for a couple years more.
That kind of mistake, now that he's back, could endanger everything. Though even as Tony files that away and tries to sit up, he has to bite back a cry of pain and finds himself wondering if maybe coming back to this moment was a mistake as well.
"Whoa, hey… easy. Slowly now man, you've been through a lot."
Rhodey is all over him of course, acting like a proper mother hen. But then to be fair, the other man has every reason to be worried about Tony in this moment. He did just rescue the genius inventor from the deserts of Afghanistan, where as far as Rhodey was concerned, Tony had just spent the last three months as the prisoner of terrorists, being tortured and who knows what else.
Of course, that was only partially true. As far as this world and Tony's body were both concerned, that was indeed what Tony had just been through. But his mind… heh, he could hardly believe it had worked. Well no, that wasn't entirely true. He'd known it would work. All of the math had been perfectly sound.
"… I'm fine Rhodey. You get what I asked for?"
Rhodey looks at him for a moment longer before letting out a slightly defeated sigh.
"Yeah Tony. I got your suit."
There's a pang at those words coming from Rhodey's mouth. But of course, the Lieutenant Colonel doesn't mean an Iron Man Suit. No, he's talking about the Armani Suit that Tony had asked for the first time around.
Yeah, first time around. Time Travel was real, who would have thunk? Well, Tony wouldn't have until he got desperate enough to MAKE it real. Shit had gotten so bad in the future that he'd traveled a decade back in time. Fuck, he only had a decade to fix things and prepare for what was coming.
Luckily, Tony has every reason to grimace and wince as he proceeds to get dressed for his big homecoming. Part of him wondered why he'd chosen this moment, when he'd been safe but at his physical weakest, to come back to. But he knew why. Simple, really… he needed the reminder. The pain Tony was in right now, the state of mild starvation and dehydration combined with a soreness that went bone deep and an ache in his chest where the Arc Reactor currently sat, was like an ice water bath.
It focused him on the task at hand. Sure, he could have come back to before he'd been kidnapped. Or he could have come back a year after. There were a million different points that Tony could have sent his consciousness back to, and the vast majority of them would have been far nicer than this one. And yet, Tony didn't want nice. He didn't want easy or comfortable or healthy. He wanted to be reminded of how fucked up he'd gotten because of his own goddamn ego.
Once he's in his Armani Suit, Rhodey forces him into a wheelchair and Tony lets him, allowing his friend to wheel him to the back of the plane. However, he draws the line at actually being wheeled off the damn thing. Fortunately, Rhodey doesn't force the issue once the plane's loading bay doors finally open up, revealing United States Soil.
Tony remembers how relieved he'd been to finally be home, back in the original timeline. He also remembers how angry he'd been. He was on a war path, even all the way back then. Only, past Tony hadn't known who his enemies were. He hadn't known to expect betrayal from his father's old friend, nor that shit was only going to go downhill from there.
He knew now though. He knew and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way.
That said, seeing Pepper again… well, Tony can't help but be a little amazed by how young she looks. His secretary stands there in her normal business attire, her bright ginger hair done up in a professional bun… and tries hard not to break. As he climbs out of the wheelchair and descends the ramp, walking towards her, she fails.
Fortunately, even when Pepper Potts breaks, there aren't tears. At least not when it's happiness she's feeling. The smile though… god that smile does things to Tony that he can't even begin to quantify. She tries to hide it of course, but that just results in her biting her lower lip as he approaches her.
He remembers their conversation from last time, of course. Him commenting about the red around her eyes being a few tears shed for her missing boss, and Pepper's joking response that she just didn't want to have to job hunt. Tony could have recreated that, he supposed. His memory is perfect, and he could recreate their conversation to a tee. Instead…
"God Pep, I missed you."
Instead, not really giving her a chance to respond, Tony steps into his future wife's personal space and takes her face in his hands before laying his lips upon her lips. He kisses her soundly right then and there, deeply and without hesitation. Sure, they have an audience… and sure, technically he and Pepper don't have a relationship yet in this timeline.
But she's been his right hand woman for so many years already by this point. She's cleaned up his messes, she's taken care of his business… she's effectively already proven herself to be capable of being his girlfriend and so much more besides that.
Too fast? Too soon? Too early? Maybe. Tony doesn't care though. At least, not beyond Pepper's reaction that is. She doesn't try to pull away, at least. She even leans into the kiss for a moment before remembering herself. Only when she truly freezes up and Tony knows she's trying to decide if she should extricate herself from his grasp or not does he pull away.
As their lips come apart, he's glad to see hers unconsciously follow him for half an inch before she stops herself. He's even happier to see how flushed and flustered she is from the short lip lock. After all, flushed and flustered are better than angry and upset. And while Pepper Potts is clearly very bewildered by his actions, she's not upset by them.
"C'mon Pepper. Busy day ahead of us."
Tony makes sure to give Happy a smile and a nod as his longtime driver, bodyguard, and friend holds the door for him and then Pepper before hopping in himself. Once Happy has made sure they're both in the car and secured himself in the front seat, he looks in the rearview mirror to make eye contact with Tony.
"Where to, boss?"
For a brief moment, Tony waits patiently, expecting Pepper to jump in with mention of going to the hospital. He hadn't allowed it originally, and he had no intention of allowing it now, but he wants to at least let her speak. When she doesn't, he gives her a surprised look… and has to stifle a chuckle when he sees her staring down at her lap, her fingers pressed gently against her lips.
Butterflies. Tony has to remember the butterflies. Sure, there are plenty of things that won't be changed easily. Plenty of things he WANTS to change as well. But the more he does change, the more he won't be able to rely on his foreknowledge from the previous timeline. Already, he's altered this interaction with Pepper and Happy.
Shrugging, leaving Pepper to her introspection and hoping she lands on the side of loving him again, Tony meets Happy's eyes and decides… if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
"Cheeseburger first, Happy. And then… a press conference."
Those last two words are what finally pull Pepper out of her fugue state. She looks at him with wide, dismayed eyes.
"Wha- Tony! A press conference? You need to go to a hospital!"
But Tony just shakes his head, brooking no argument. He hadn't last time either as he remembers it.
"Press Conference, Pep. Get it set up."
She doesn't argue nearly as long as last time though, he notes. That's probably a good thing, right?
-x-X-x-
"There he is!"
It's a little strange having Obadiah Stane lead the welcoming party to greet him like a returning hero, knowing what Tony knows about the man. But he's nothing if not a consummate professional, so he lets the traitor hug him and even puts a small smile on his face when Obadiah whispers in his ear.
"Thought we were meeting at the hospital."
As they pull back, Tony can't help the cocky grin as he looks his would-be murderer in his eyes and chuckles.
"Do I look like I need one?"
Sure, Tony could definitely have used a hospital and perhaps weeks if not months of personal medical care. But if there's one thing his life has taught him, whether it's the next ten years or even the past twenty… it's to always project confidence. He hadn't thought he had to do that with Stane at this point in time originally, to be fair. But now that he knows better, he defaults to his usual state of being… give them nothing.
Obadiah looks at him briefly and Tony can see the exact moment that the older man decides Tony must be putting on a front. However, he can also tell that Obadiah doesn't know for sure that that's the case, and it bothers the man more than he wants to admit.
From there, they head into the building, followed by security and military personnel and of course… the Press. Tony HAD called for a Press Conference after all. On such short notice, Tony even sees some reporters still getting their clearances checked over by soldiers as he makes his way up to the podium.
Last time he'd been raw, unfiltered, and honest in a way Tony Stark could barely be counted on for throughout his life. But had doing what he'd done the first time around really served him that well? Honestly, the Tony of the time would probably have said yes. But doing it again would definitely not serve Future Tony's plans whatsoever.
Instead, taking his place behind the podium and projecting complete confidence and as much strength as his tired, freshly tortured, achy body can muster… Tony smiles. It's a shark-like smile. It's a smile he's known for, even. But he likes to think he interjects a certain amount of very real danger into that smile this time around.
"Hello everyone. Been a while, hasn't it?"
There's some nervous laughter there. Off in the back, Tony sees Pepper with a certain Agent Coulson right next to her. His beloved wife had told him about her first interaction with Phil a couple of times, and from the look of things, he's already given Pepper his card and she's already promised to try and pencil him in.
Putting them out of mind for the time being, Tony sweeps his gaze across the gathered people in front of him.
"I won't bore you with the details of my vacation."
More nervous titters, as if they don't know whether they're really supposed to laugh at not. A man was tortured for three months, after all, but that same man is the one making jokes. Tony can't help but be a little amused at how deceptively simple it is to get the room of reporters so uncomfortable none of them thinks to do their job… which is of course to ask uncomfortable questions.
Still, he's grateful for the silence. It lets him get his point across quite clearly.
"However, I didn't free myself from captivity and trek halfway across a desert before being picked up by our boys for nothing."
That sets off a whole lot of murmuring, which of course quickly turns into yammering as every reporter tries to get a question in at once. Tony lets them go at it for a moment before…
SLAM!
He's foregone the sling entirely this time around, but he's still smart enough to use his good hand to strike the podium with enough force to create a sound that brings the room to a standstill. Still smiling, Tony Stark looks at the reporters and can see a few shiver as he chuckles darkly.
"No questions, sorry. Just listen. Don't worry, I'm about to give you all more than enough for your articles to draw the eyes of millions tomorrow. Put simply… what I saw over there opened my eyes. I was going through life as a zombie, thinking I knew the way the world worked when I really didn't."
He can see Obadiah looking worried out of the corner of his eye. Funnily enough, the older man needn't have been. Tony isn't planning on rocking the boat in the same way this time.
"I've always believed that the relationship between Stark Industries and the U.S. Military is paramount to the fight for peace in this world, just like my father before me. After my experiences… I believe that to be the case all the more strongly."
There's a ripple through the crowd at that, and Obadiah is all smiles out of the corner of Tony's eyes. Yeah, he bets the older man was happy to hear that.
"However… I've also come to believe that viewpoint to be narrowminded."
He has their full attention at that, including Stane's. Where is he going with this? Simple, really.
"I've had a lot of time to think recently. For obvious reasons. A lot of time to come up with new ideas. New designs."
That gets more excitement from the military in the room then the reporters. And it definitely piques Obadiah's interest.
"Not just weapons, however. Stark Industries has long been known for making things that blow up. But I'm capable of more than that… so, so much more. That's why, effective immediately, Stark Industries will be expanding into a number of new markets. Stay tuned, because once you see what we have coming down the pipelines, you're going to want to get in on the ground floor."
Flashing his dangerous smile once more, Tony leaves the stage with his back straight and his head held high. There's no moment where Obadiah tries to manhandle him off the stage this time, because there's no moment where Tony tries to shut down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division.
Instead, the older man follows after him, congratulating Tony and trying to pull whatever he possibly can about these 'new projects'. Tony easily deflects him of course. Another ten years of wheeling and dealing under his belt make the task of giving Obadiah what he thinks he wants while not giving him anything at all… child's play.
Of course, Tony knows what Stane actually wants. He wants to kill Tony Stark. He wants to make Stark Industries into Stane Enterprises or something. He wants his name on the building before he dies. Fucking egomaniac scumbag.
It doesn't matter though. None of it is going to matter for much longer. Because all Tony really needed was a little bit of time. Time to implement his plans. Time to utilize his foreknowledge. Time to grow too entrenched for any of his enemies to ever fully do away with him.
If they knew what he was planning, they'd kill him right now. Not just HYDRA, but probably SHIELD as well. After all… stopping people from taking over the world was sort of their mandate, wasn't it? Still, Tony wasn't going to let that stop him. It was for their own good. And while he didn't do it for thanks or accolades, he thought they'd be grateful all the same… one day.
-x-X-x-
A/N: So what do you guys think? Also what do you think Tony's next steps will/should be? Curious to see if you guys have the same priorities that I do, heh.
Obviously there's a lot of things Tony needs to get, a lot of things in the timeline to fix. But some problems are obviously more immediate than others, aren't they?
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