Preparation II

Tony Stark/Iron Man

Tony typed something on his computer and looked to his left. The latest iteration of the Hulkbuster suit was looming over him. "Jarvis, can you do a final check on the software?"

"You are normally not this careful, sir," Jarvis said, his eyes flickering as he walked up to join Tony. "I believe this is the third time you've had me check your work."

"And I'll keep doing it when we head out," Tony said seriously. "Hydra keeps surprising us with new tricks. I'm not letting them get away with it again. If they stop my armor, it's not going to last."

"Sir, you can't plan for everything."

"No. But I can be ready for anything."

"Those are the same thing."

"Stop arguing semantics, how's the suit looking?"

"It is perfectly functional. And before you ask, I checked the other suits. They are just as functional. As am I."

"Man, you've gotten all uppity since you got a body."

"Incorrect. I have always been this 'uppity'."

"You sure? I think you've gotten a little less upper class lately."

"Heaven forbid," Jarvis said stiffly.

"Tony?" Jarvis and Tony turned to see Steve enter the lab. He was wearing his star spangled armor, shield resting on his back.

"What's up, Cap?"

"Just wanted to check on you. Hello Jarvis."

"Good day, Captain. Are you ready for today's endeavors?"

"Yeah. I'm ready."

Tony could believe it. Steve was always ready. It was kinda annoying sometimes, how he could be up and raring with barely any sleep. But today, Tony was almost relieved to see the calm determination on Steve's face.

"Same here," Tony smacked the arm of the Hulkbuster. "Got all sorts of bells and whistles to show off to Hydra. Think I'll win the best in show?"

"I'd vote for you," Steve said. His amusement faded. "Tony… you should see Pepper. She's with Fitz. I think she's worried about you. She keeps looking this way."

"..." Tony typed something at his keyboard, looking over his software.

"Mr. Stark," Jarvis interrupted. "You have completed your work. Your fiance is worried for you."

"You think if I visit her she's suddenly going to stop?" Tony snapped.

"No," Steve moved closer, placing a red gloved hand on Tony's shoulder. "But let me ask you. If you go. And you don't return. What is the last thing you want to say to her?"

"...Goddamn it," the memory of his father filled his mind. His mother. The last thing they'd said to each other had been so… meaningless. He couldn't leave Pepper with that. Not if she mattered. And god help him, she really did matter. More than anything.

"Sometimes I want to punch you two," Tony grumbled, shutting down his computer.

"You ever want to take a swing, I'll let you," Steve offered kindly.

"It just wouldn't be the same," Tony said. He walked away as Jarvis and Steve watched.

Entering Fitz's lab, Tony found Fitz and Pepper working on her Rescue armor. It looked great. Since the first version, they'd been cleaning it up, maintaining it, upgrading it. Pepper was wearing a tanktop and jeans, rather than the business dress she usually wore. She looked amazing, with her hair pulled up and a spot of oil across her nose as she worked with a wrench.

"Mr. Stark?" Fitz said when he saw Tony. "Good to see you, sir. Are you leaving soon?"

"Yeah, are you?" Pepper glared at him. "Because you haven't said goodbye yet."

"I'm not great at those," Tony admitted. "Ross, can you give us the room?"

"Uh, yeah," Fitz swallowed, putting away his tools. "I'll uh, go find Rach-I mean Simmons! I'll go find Simmons."

The Scottish genius glared at Tony, who simply smiled. Not his fault he was the master of nicknames. Ross and Rachel for Fitz-Simmons was pure genius as far as his work went.

Fitz left. Pepper looked Tony up and down.

"I want to tell you I'll be back," Tony said quickly. "I'm gonna go out, win, get home with a fresh strawberry rhubarb pie."

Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Well, you're allergic to strawberries, so I can't promise the last part," Tony hesitated. "Or the first part."

"Good. Because I hate when you lie to me," Pepper rose to her feet. "Tony, I know you can't promise you'll always come back. The idea that someday, someone just a bit smarter than you will show up," Tony held in the urge to make a sarcastic scoff. "Or worse, that you'll do some brave sacrifice one day and leave me behind," that one was more likely. "But even if you can't promise you'll come back, at least have the guts to say goodbye."

"...You're right. Yeah, you got it in one. So here. Let me help you out with your suit," Tony rolled up sleeves once again, stepping forward to circle Pepper. "Then, when we're done, I'll say goodbye. Scout's honor."

Pepper raised an eyebrow. "I kinda thought you'd want your goodbye to be sex, not mechanics."

"Is there a difference?" Tony quipped, pulling out a section of the back of the purple armor, exposing the electronics within. He gave Pepper a soft smile.

She returned it with one of her own, then moved forward to join him. "I have to say. I think I get why you like tinkering so much. I'm getting good at it."

"Well, you're passable."

"Passable!?"

"Hey, don't knock it. I know some MIT kids who'd explode into confetti if I graded them passable," Tony took the light push Pepper gave his arm without complaint, unable to remove the honest smile from his face.

Bruce Banner/The Hulk

"Jemma, I think we need to coordinate this better," Bruce said as he and the British scientist paced his laboratory. "Agatha's already offered to set up a magical area dedicated to healing within the Behemoth, so we can use that for our most injured."

"Are you sure Dr. Banner?" Jemma Simmons asked, the redhead walking up to a hologram of the helicarrier the medics would be doing most of their work in. The helicarrier in question was a giant tank in truth. More like a flying brick than an aerodynamic vehicle. "If we do have a… 'magic' area, that helps people heal, our least injured may be the ones we should put inside it. We'll want to get them back into the fight as soon as possible."

Right. He'd been thinking in terms of helping people, not continuing a battle against Hydra.

"...We'll compromise," Bruce said at last. "The ones with the most minor injuries, we'll place on one portion. The major injuries will take up the rest of the space. That way we have a quick turnover of the lightest injuries, and the major injuries have more of a fighting chance."

"Understood," Simmons sighed. "I'll let Dr. Octavius and Dr. Kusama know. Magic… Is it interesting, seeing it in action?"

"Hm."

"I can only imagine it is. You and Mr. Stark have been visiting Agatha so often. I know you were planning on writing a paper about it, have you made any progress?"

"Hm."

"Because if you have… I mean, can I take a look?" Jemma asked shyly. "I've always been so fascinated by the idea of magic! I've always loved the Harry Potter series. In fact, I have a Ravenclaw shirt somewhere."

"I was always more of a Hufflepuff," Bruce said at last. "And yes, I don't mind letting you take a look at my paper," Bruce looked over at her. "I'm sorry Jemma, I need to step away and speak to someone. But thank you so much for your help."

"Oh please, it was my pleasure!" Jemma said cheerily. "Would you like me to clean-up?"

"No need. Go talk to your boyfriend," Bruce said kindly.

Jemma went practically magenta in coloration. "O-Oh, well, Fitz isn't my boyfriend! He's just, you know, a really good friend!"

"Then change that," Bruce said. He tried to say it nicely. "Jemma. We could die."

The young woman went from red to pale.

"If we do. If we go out there and we do end up dying. If someone kills you. Do you want to leave how you feel unsaid?"

"I-" Jemma's mouth opened and closed. After a quick moment of indecision, she apparently decided running was her best way of dealing with the problem, because she spun on her heel and quickly ran away.

"Mean," Hulk whispered to Bruce.

Bruce didn't say anything. He was thinking. Hulk understood anyways.

"Unsaid. Betty."

He let out a deep breath. "Yeah. Jarvis, can you call Betty for me?" Bruce said into the empty air.

The stiff AI didn't answer, instead changing the light green hologram of the Behemoth into a screen. After a moment, Betty Ross answered the line.

"Bruce," she said. She was standing in her living room. The living room of the house she shared with Leonard Samson. She gave him a bright smile. "How are you?"

"I'm good… I have a mission today."

Her smile faded. "Oh no. Bruce-"

"It's fine," he was surprised that he wasn't lying. "I never liked getting into fights. But this mission… It's for good reason. Hydra. They've been using my research. Creating more people like me. Like the Hulk."

"Bruce," Betty sat down, her eyes shimmering. "You know that's not your fault-"

"Up here, sure," Bruce tapped his head, then his heart. "But right here, every time I hear about another Gamma-Hydra causing problems, a part of me dies," he struggled to pull back his volume. "I need to do this, Betty. Gamma research, research I wanted to use to help people, has lead to them dying instead. Hulk agrees. We fight alongside our friends. And we stop Hydra."

Betty gaped at him for a moment. Bruce wondered if he'd said something shocking. Then she shook her head.

"You've changed."

"..."

"It used to be that you ran from every fight you could. Even after the Hulk-" she hesitantly smiled. "My dad used to say you were the gentlest man he'd ever met."

"Not exactly a compliment from your dad," Bruce said with a hint of spite.

"Maybe. I liked it," she said shyly.

Bruce did not blush. Damn it, you're dating Samson. Stop making me feel this way.

An uncharitable thought. It wasn't her fault he felt this way. But that was the brain. Full of unkind and hateful thoughts, petty spite and jealousies. It was how you acted despite those feelings that mattered.

So Bruce girded himself. "Betty. All of us, the Avengers. I think we all know, even if we're dancing around the subject, that this might be it for some of us. That we could get killed."

Steve and Bucky had been calm about the prospect. Same with Tony, Rhodey, Natasha, Izzy. Basically, if they had been involved in warfare, they had taken the thought of death with an admirable amount of grim resolve.

Bruce didn't feel that way. "Betty. I just want to tell you I love you."

Betty's face became a mask of pain and sadness. "Bruce."

"I know. I'm not telling you this to hurt you. I'm telling you so there are no regrets. You are an incredible woman. I know superheroines, witches, and goddesses. And you easily match any of them," he pressed a hand against the hologram, his palm just barely passing through it. "So I wanted to say it. Before I say goodbye. I hope I can come back. So that we can meet again. Because even if we never get back together, I don't regret a single moment we ever had together. No matter how bad things ever got, you were one of my reasons to go on."

"...Thank you, Bruce," biting her lip, Betty reached out to press her hand on the screen. "Come back. You and Hulk. If you don't," she smiled, tears dripping onto her lap. "Well. I know a few gods now. I'll find a way to bring you back."

Bruce laughed. "I'll do my best… Goodbye."

He turned his back on Betty. As he walked away, he invited Hulk in. The man who hid the monster began to grow in size. And yet, despite the increase in mass, he felt lighter than ever."

Mahmoud Schahed/Dial

We left our room and slowly roamed towards the hanger. Creel and Izzy came out of their own room. They didn't speak. Creel gave me a serious nod. Izzy was smirking. Both were dressed in their costumes. We joined up and walked on.

Fantasma and Scarlet Witch came off an elevator as we approached the hanger. Fantasma gave me a smile, while Scarlet Witch nodded nervously. The magical girls joined.

Clint was suddenly at my side without my noticing. He smiled at me. "How is Nezuko?"

"She's at Sammy's place," I said sadly. "I thought she should stay with someone I trusted," few people I trusted as my former coworker. He and his wife had immediately been charmed by the adorable ball of fluff. "You know. Just in case."

I didn't add anything else. Jen's hand in mine tightened. Creel glowered. And Clint nodded. "Yeah… You know. I should invite you to my place sometime. Nezuko might like it."

I stared at him. Then I smiled. "I'd like it. Maybe I can finally take some archery lessons from ya, huh?"

"Ha!" Clint shook his head, grinning. "No way. I don't need anyone else taking my schtick."

"Your schtick is ancient weaponry," Izzy teased.

"Honey, you refuse to use anything but swords and knives," Creel pointed.

"That sounds like something a man who wants to sleep on the couch would say," Izzy said without any heat behind it, Creel only laughing a bit.

We entered the hanger. I looked around, noting who'd shown up. Tony and Rhodey were talking near a Quinjet. Bucky was whispering to Bobbi, the Mockingbird dressed in similar colored armor to him. The Grapplers, Davida, Melissa, Marian, Deathlok, Helen, and Ava were all gathered around Victoria Hand.

In a flash, Pietro was suddenly next to us. "Miss me?"

Wanda grinned. "Idiot," with that, she wrapped him in a hug, pulling back to show him to Fantasma. "This is my brother!"

"Nice to meet you," Fantasma said kindly.

Pietro gave her a very smooth and flirtatious smile. "Oh, believe me, the pleasure isallmine."

As Wanda hit her brother and Fantasma rolled her eyes, Phil and May were speaking to Simmons, who was excitedly telling the much calmer duo about how things were going for her.

"Hey, sailor." someone said to me. I turned and grinned.

"Hey, hacker."

Skye walked over and gave me a grin. I took her in for a hug, our respective armor making a small 'clack' sound as we met, then pulled back. "I didn't know you were coming."

"What, a chance for revenge? No way am I missing this."

Hulk walked in and went over to Jen, who smiled up at her larger cousin. "How you feeling, big guy?"

"Ready to smash,"Hulk said, punching his own palm with a sound like rolling thunder.

"Always a way with words," Clint said jokingly.

"My friends!" Thor entered the room, the boisterous God of Thunder smiling ear to ear. He came over to us. "Ready for a glorious day of battle!?"

I frowned. Huh. Felt like he was laying it on a little thick. In fact, he seemed… sad? Or worried?

I was about to say something when a hush came over everyone. Like gravity, we were almost pulled to look at him.

Steve entered the room. He walked past us, into the center of the open space we were circled around. Fury, Maria, and Nat had been following him, but they stopped just in front of the open space, watching him. Steve stopped in the center of the space and looked around. For a moment, he seemed surprised to see us all staring at him. He looked around.

Davida Devito crossed her arms. Jen walked forward to hug me. Phil was watching him close. Steve panned his eyes to Sam and Bucky, who both nodded in unison. Steve looked over us. Avengers, Grapplers, BRIDGE agents, all around him.

"Well. I have to say. I'm damn proud to see you all. Men and women I've fought alongside for months, years. People I know will have my back, and who I will try my best to protect as well," his voice was soft, but it seemed to carry. "I know how you guys feel. We're all about to take on the biggest mission we've ever fought. Against an enemy that has to know we're coming."

He shook his head. "I won't lie. If I could fight this alone, I would. But I have you," he looked us all in the eyes, somehow. "Back at the Triskelion. In New York. And in the trenches of World War 2. We've had each other'sothers back. Fought side by side. And now, we're about to test those bonds. You know your missions. And you know what we're fighting for."

"Hydra keeps talking about how they're different. I may be an old fogey," a small chuckle spread across the room. Steve smirked. Slowly, he became stern. "But I've gotten used to the internet. Seen a lot of people say Hydra is right. That people like us need to be controlled. That we need to be forced into a box, to keep people safe. Not just people with powers, but anyone who can make a change to the world."

"In Hydra's perfect world, the only choice is to follow their rules or die."

Steve looked at me directly. "That's we're fighting for. A world where everyone can be safe and free. Where you don't put people in a cage because of whatmighthappen. Doesn't sound like a lofty goal when you narrow it down like that. We just want to make sure everyone gets a fair shake. But I think all these fights come down to that. The simple things."

"We're fighting to become the bridge to the world. To bring people together. I think that's worth doing. Now it's up to us to prove that to everyone else. You guys ready?"

I had thought there would be a chorus of cheers. But somehow, Steve managed to control us with a single look. I saw some simple nods of approval. Phil looked like Christmas had come early and Bucky was smiling. But there was something we shared.

We were in. It was never a question.

Steve smiled. "I'm glad you guys are here. Now get to your stations. And come back from this. That's an order."

A laugh spread across the room. I had a big dopey grin on my face.

And as Steve turned around to walk up to Sam, Bucky, and Tony, I could hear them just under the hubhub of the crowd.

"Seriously, you missed your calling as a motivational speaker," Tony teased.

"Nah, I think he cribbed some of that from Patton," Sam joked.

"Actually, didn't you say that speech during the war?" Bucky said with a smirk.

Steve grinned. "First, thisismy job as a motivational speaker, since you're garbage at it Tony. Second, Patton stole his lines from me. And third, blow it out your ass, Barnes."

With that, we all headed to war.