Do some studies (Tag Tony)

[st_hotflashes]

Liz had a small vial of her own blood she had taken from the infirmary. It reminded her of when she had to take blood from Alex to switch with Max's at the hospital. It seemed like a really long time ago now and Alex... well, Alex was dead.

She pushed the thought away as she rounded toward Mr. Stark's room. She knew he mostly used it for work and she hoped he was working today. She also hoped he would be willing to run some basic tests on her blood.

Liz paused outside his door, then knocked. She briefly wondered if Peter told him what had happened to her. She also wondered if Mr. Stark was aware of how they hadn't been kissing for practically two months and now they were again.

Comments

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Coming into this particular conversation cold really wasn't something Tony thought he'd have to do today, but there Liz was, and there he was. He kept his busy mouth firmly shut and took the sight of the young woman in, her dark eyes full of expectation.

"Long story. How long you want it?"

[st_hotflashes]

She pressed her lips together as she considered the answer. She took a breath. "I want to know what they are and why your other self was worried about me being in your world. I mean... other than the obvious future thing."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"It's a registration act. The world's been a bit sensitive ever since an attempted global genocide." The words my fault weren't said but Tony was wound up tight enough to betray his guilt. "The world wanted accountability. I agreed. Most of the team didn't. Lead to mass detainment."

Tony wasn't look at Liz by this point, and he took a large breath to release the knots growing in what felt like every part of his body. "A girl shows up out of nowhere with no records to her name boasting unexplained powers? I can think of a few ways that could end without intervention."

[st_hotflashes]

She went quiet for a moment as she tried to play out all the scenarios in her head. She knew some of them weren't good outcomes. Still, she didn't feel the urge to shy away from their world.

"How would they know I have powers unless, somehow, I can't control them." Most of the time she looked normal, it was only when she lost her emotions did her new abilities appear and she didn't have control. Liz was determined to learn how to control them.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“You’d be surprised at how easy it is to draw attention. If you could get to a safe place immediately...” Tony trailed off, returning Liz’s expectant state with one of his own. She’d thought of a safe space to find, surely.

[st_hotflashes]

"Peter said he thought his aunt would let me stay there." She paused. Would that be safe for Peter or his Aunt May?

"He mentioned you have a place, too. For the Avengers."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“I do.” Tony bit his lip. “If I remembered you.”

[st_hotflashes]

She looked at him, thoughtful. "You wouldn't take me in unless I had some way to explain how I knew you."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“I’ve been getting a few things in order in case of an untimely departure.” An ache rose in the back of his neck, and Tony rubbed at it. “For Thor. For Pete. For you.”

[st_hotflashes]

Liz paused, looking at him, then looked down at her hands in her lap, nodding a few times. There was another pauses as she watched her fingers intertwine.

"I've thought about it, you know... about how I could end up in a world where no one I know actually remembered me. Not even Peter." She unfurled her fingers, pressing her palms on her thighs. "If Peter and I like each other here, then all we have to do is meet again and it'd feel the same way. And... even if it didn't, I know for certain I could be his friend. And Ned's. And that would be enough, if we couldn't be together like here. And I'd find a way to meet you too."

She leaned back. "I'm a fighter, Mr. Stark. So, whatever you want or need from me, I'll do."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Stay a fighter. That’s all.” Tony brushed a bit of hair from her eye, bestowing her with a brief smile. “If you do end up in 2017-era New York through effort or some trick of fate, I know how to point you in my direction. This would have been on the tape if leaving behind, but hey, you may vanish well before any of us do.”

[st_hotflashes]

"I'm not going anywhere." She said that with a certainly only teenagers could possess, but she felt that way strongly. She was going back with Peter and no one was going to stop her. She'd move mountains if she had to.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Plan for success, back-ups for the rest. That’s my rule.” Taking up the nearest notebook where he scribbled freely, Tony flipped to a clean page and shook out the pen stuck in the plastic rings.

“If you want to get my attention, you need two things: my bodyguard’s number, and some background on my priorities.” He marked down a number at the top and began drawing a concept tree.

[st_hotflashes]

Her eyes went to the notebook and paid close attention. "You mean... Happy, right? He's your body guard?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“My Forehead of Security.” Even straight forward, the affection in Tony’s voice was undeniable. “You blow up his phone enough with the right words and it’ll get back to me.”

[st_hotflashes]

Thanks to Peter, Liz was more aware of Iron Man and Tony Stark than some people. She thought about it, smiling at the affection in his voice.

"What if I texted something like... 'I'm from a pocket dimension where Tony Stark was or will be. Peter Parker is Spider-Man..." Liz paused. "I guess I don't really know anything specific about you that would raise an eyebrow."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Yeah, don’t do that.” Tony winced. “If Peter remembered you this make this so much easier, but we need plans A through Z.” Tony massaged his well groomed facial hair. Then, his eyes lit up.

“Right. Think I’ve got something.” He took up the notebook again, hand flying across the page to jot down notes, hand trying to keep up with his mind. “We’ll rig a sweepstakes.”

[st_hotflashes]

"How will you remember to have a sweepstakes to rig?" She wasn't sure what the prize would be, but she assumed it might be something to gain access to Mr. Stark or his building.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Back To School campaign. Standard." Tony waved the matter off--his prodigious memory would make easy work of tilting the scales firmly in Liz's favor to get into the same room as him, but all that came after--a little more finesse was needed. "This is assuming I don't remember anything. Think we should start a flowchart, kiddo."

[st_hotflashes]

"Okay." She nodded, agreeing. "Do you think it's possible you remember some things, but not all of them? Or you forget until you're faced with a reminder?" Aka, her.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“If I had to make an educated guess?” His lips drew tightly. “No. New timeline, new Tony.”

[st_hotflashes]

"Do you mean I'd show up in a different timeline, or you leaving here would create one?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"We're focusing on two possibilities as far as you're concerned. One--you leave with Peter with both your memories intact. Two--you end up in his reality and no one but you remembers anything. Three--you end up back in Roswell where you started. We're ignoring three for now."

Tony was already scribbling the flowchart down on a new page. As easy as it would have been to visualize it via projections, he felt an anxious need to keep his hands busy.

"I'm gonna level with you on this one, Liz. I'm not here to make a case for whether your goal is right or wrong. You've already made your mind up. But I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I didn't do all I could to make sure you were safe doing it."

[st_hotflashes]

Liz appreciated Mr. Stark for not being another adult to just tell her that her choices were unrealistic or childish or all the other reasons she had heard over the months. Liz was well aware of the likelihood and the risks and what she'd be leaving behind - she was not the sort of person to run head first into most things.

She gave him a small nod. "I know... and I appreciate that a lot. I know I've sort of... inserted myself and now at a time when things in your world..." Her hands started to spark with what looked sort of like electricity and she paused, clenching her fists, closed her eyes, and taking a few deeps breaths until the sparks went away.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony's eyes were drawn towards the whispers of light, catching sight of them for only a moment. Still, he leaned in, and put a hand on one of her closed fists.

"You're a good kid, Liz."