finding annabeth- tony stark

FIFTY-TWO

" these days, none of it makes sense "

Chapter 52:

Kill or be killed, part 1

"Annie? ANNABETH!"

Grains of dust and falling debris clouded Annabeth's vision, a pounding in her head prominent as Tony called out her name. Just as the explosion had occurred, Tony had shielded her from the impact with his body but somewhere along the fall, her back had hit the wall. The genius pushed with a groan, pulling away from the captain whose body was almost on top of him.

Tony looked around frantically, looking for his girlfriend but saw nothing amongst the smoke in the room.

"STARK!" Steve called out, kneeling down near the doorway where Annabeth lay, clutching to her side. He rushed after her.

"Annabeth? Annie, are you okay?" He asked, instantly falling to his knees beside her, taking her head in his arms.

"Peachy," the girl answered, despite the headache that kept attacking her brain like a broken record. "Never been better."

With the help of Tony and Steve combined, Annabeth managed to get up to her feet but ever second that passed, things got hazier– more blurry. Annabeth could barely register Tony voice talking to Steve before the world silent. The darkness overwhelmed her, increasing by the second that passed.

"Tony, I think I might–"faint.

When Annabeth woke up, the first thing her mind registered was her surroundings. This was a place she knew. A place she had built. She sat up at once, sitting on the sofa, a soft pounding still prominent in her head but lesser than before. She looked around, fearing how she got there until she saw Tony at the bar. Tony at the bar, offering a drink... to Loki?

How long was she unconscious for?

"Would you like a drink?" Tony said, rounding near the bar. Her frantic eyes suddenly met his, and in a split second, Tony's face flashed with horror before a perfect poker face smoothed over. He replied to something Loki said, which was muffled by the ringing in her ears, "No no no, threatening!"

Which brought him to where he was now—leaning against the bar, trying to keep Loki's eyes away from the girl who was crouching behind the sofa, while sharing a comic banter with the man in green.

"But let's do a head count—" Tony said, pouring himself a drink. She could see his hands tremble against the glass decanter as he gulped down the whiskey. Annabeth could see the way he nervously gulped down his drink, fear that only the brunette could recognize, evident in her eyes.

"Not a great plan—"Tony said as he walked out of the bar, closer to where Loki was. "When they come; and they will," something changed in Tony's tone, turning more threatening.  She was suddenly reminded that this man, this crazy man who burnt omelets so bad they were still undercooked was once named the Merchant of Death by the media. This was the Tony Stark that punched the guy that kissed her, the guy who fought and won against Obie. This was the Tony Stark that was feared more than he was loved. The man who was much more than that red-gold suit of armor. "They'll be after you."

"I have an army."

"We have a Hulk," Tony said confidently, and she shuddered at the thought. Dr. Banner and his genius mind aside, the implications of the Hulk, of fighting an upcoming army of aliens, was downright scary. Bloody Terrifying. Suddenly, Annabeth felt her stress spiral out of control until she saw Tony's body being thrown to the ground. She got up from where she was,