An Act of... Love? [An Avengers Polyamorous Fanfic]

Chapter 30

 Pietro and I laid in bed a while longer, but eventually, he had to go because he'd promised Wanda that they could have a training session together today. It was afternoon by the time he left, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with the rest of my day.

I decided to get out of bed and get some work done, so that's what I was doing when my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the screen to see the message had come from an unknown number. Curiously, I unlocked my phone to read the message, but when I did, my blood ran cold.

The encryption was cute, sunshine. And so was the disappearing act you pulled with Bri and Griffin. But you're always going to be mine, sunshine. You'll never escape me and I'm sure you know that. You can try to have fun with all of your powerful friends and pretending you're somehow free and safe, but just remember I'm always right around the corner, sunshine. Remember, not even Beck had the power to protect you from me. Love you, sunshine. XOXO James

I just sat there blankly staring at the message for a long time before I realized I needed to tell Tony about this. So I managed to get myself up, clock out of work, and numbly make my way to the common room. Once I arrived there and the room was empty, I realized I had no clue where to find Tony.

"Friday, where can I find Tony?" I questioned aloud to the AI.

"Mr. Stark is in his workshop, if you enter the elevator I can bring you there if you wish, Ms. Ollie," she responded. I smiled at the ceiling briefly before making my way over to the elevator. I stared blankly at the elevator doors while Friday delivered me to where I needed to be.

When the elevator stopped, it opened to a large room with several computers and a variety of mechanical and engineering projects everywhere. I looked around, but couldn't find Tony.

"Tony?" I called out.

He popped out from an area I hadn't even seen, making me jump as he greeted me with "Hey buttercup." I smiled slightly at the pet name after I calmed my heart down from the slight jump scare. "What brings you down here?" he questioned, throwing me a devious smirk.

I shook my head with a smile and then held up my phone, "have something you should probably see."

His smile fell as he looked me over and he must've seen how shaken up I was because his emotions shifted into pure concern and worry. He quickly made his way over to me and I handed him my phone.

"I didn't even know I had encryptions, but I'm guessing that was your guys' doing?" I said as he read the message.

"Yes, that was us," he said as he asked Friday to analyze the message.

"He's partly right, you know," I said, causing Tony's eyes to snap to me as worry and confusion swirled around me. "Even if I can be free of him physically, there's a part of him that will always haunt me, I think," I explained.

Tony's face fell into a frown, and he didn't say anything as he closed the distance between us and wrapped me in his arms. He held me for a little bit before speaking again.

"You know, baby, I can't make the claim that you will be able to be free of him from your own mind. That's not my place to say or try to make false promises. But I can say that I will do whatever I can to give you as much freedom from him as I can possibly manage. I can promise to always be there for you, no matter what. I'm sorry he was able to break through our systems without being detected, sweetie. I'm going to try to make sure it never happens again," he said, kissing my head as he finished.

"How are Bri and Griff doing?" I questioned.

"They're doing wonderful, sweetheart. Even though James was able to get through and send a message to you, there's no way he'll be able to find where they have been relocated to. And we're going to instate many more protocols to make it, hopefully, nearly impossible to reach you as well... but... I did want to ask you something," he said as he pulled back from me to look me in the face.

"I want you to come to a press conference Stevie and I are going to. Not as our partner or anything, but just to be on stage, in the background," he said, causing my eyes to go wide.

"That... wasn't a question, Tony."

"No... it wasn't. The conference is in three weeks... I want to give you the chance to say no, but please don't."

Soon after that, I left as my brain was swirling. Tony had given me my phone back but informed me that there would be work being done on it electronically and that he might have to ask for it to do some mechanical work at some point, as well.

I went up to my room, curled up in a cocoon of blankets, and numbly laid there until sleep took over me and the world faded away.