"Twenty-two missed calls."
Tony took a deep breath, pushing down a flicker of unease. His voice came out light, teasing, his eyebrows lifting playfully.
"JARVIS, you sure Pepper's phone didn't catch a virus and start redialing automatically? You should probably check her system firewall. I told you, Apple's OS isn't safe."
"Sir, the data has been verified. The calls came from multiple devices and different lines. Also, five minutes ago, Miss Potts finished a call with Mr. Happy Hogan. Their conversation included several key phrases such as 'a sturdy sack' and 'dragging the two of them out of the lab.'"
JARVIS's voice was as calm as ever—but Henry could swear he heard a trace of amusement hidden in it.
This JARVIS was getting more and more like Tony—same smug sense of humor.
"A sack? Ha!" Henry burst out laughing, taking a big bite of his donut.
"Listen to that, Tony. Pepper's still got that old-school charm. I honestly thought she'd just authorize a military drone strike and rip the roof off the lab by now."
"She'd have to outrank my clearance first," Tony said with a shrug, looking totally unconcerned as he kept adjusting the melting parameters on his holographic screen.
"But I'll admit, the sack idea's got style—way better than anything the board's ever come up with."
Their words might have sounded casual, but both of them were quietly moving faster, saving data and securing core systems.
That was their unspoken rhythm.
Banner could only shake his head helplessly at the sight of these two clowns.
Hopeless. Completely hopeless.
How could they still have the mood to joke around right now?
Silently, he stepped back, deciding to activate his "invisible man" mode—reducing his presence as much as possible.
Wanda and Pietro exchanged confused looks.
"I don't get it," Pietro muttered under his breath.
"They don't look scared at all. Pepper sounds like she's coming to kill them."
"Maybe it's not about fear," Wanda murmured thoughtfully, watching the two men who were still cracking jokes as if nothing was wrong.
She could feel emotions.
And right now, Tony and Henry didn't feel afraid—only guilty.
But strangely enough... they were also expecting her.
How odd.
Then came the sharp, echoing rhythm of high heels clicking against the floor, growing louder with every step from the corridor outside.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tony paused his work, leaning back against the workstation, arms crossed, striking what he believed was his most charming pose.
Henry casually finished his donut, poured himself a cup of coffee, and waited.
No hiding. No excuses.
The Stark brothers stood there calmly, side by side.
The lab door slid open soundlessly.
A poised, elegant figure appeared in the doorway.
Pepper Potts.
She wore a perfectly tailored business suit, her blonde hair neatly tied up, makeup precise and professional.
She didn't speak at first, just swept her sharp gaze around the lab.
Behind her stood Happy Hogan in a black suit. He shrugged at the two men, as if to say, "You're on your own, bosses."
"Pepper!" Tony was the first to speak, looking completely composed.
"You came just in time! You've gotta see our—"
"Tony."
Pepper cut him off immediately.
"Before you show me your new toy, I want an explanation."
She stepped forward slowly.
"This outfit," she said evenly, "is what I was supposed to wear two weeks ago at the Washington Energy Summit. You know, the one you and Henry—Stark Industries' two biggest shareholders—were supposed to attend."
She ignored Tony's awkward half-smile.
"In the past two weeks, I've taken four hundred and fifty-six calls, held sixty-eight video meetings, shut down fifteen hostile takeover attempts, and faced rounds of questions from the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and... the White House press secretary."
She stopped in the center of the lab, her eyes scanning the strange equipment and the glowing Uru-metal sphere...
And finally landing on three empty syringes.
"They all kept asking me the same question: where are Tony Stark and Henry Stark?"
"I told them you two were working on a project that could benefit all mankind."
"Now tell me..." Her voice softened, carrying more weariness than anger.
"What exactly have you two been creating down here that made you forget about the company... and everything else?"
The lab fell silent.
Tony opened his mouth—but Henry spoke first.
"She's right, Tony."
Holding his coffee, Henry walked up to Pepper, expression serious.
He didn't look at Tony—his eyes met Pepper's directly.
"When it comes to business and responsibility, we're guilty. No excuses."
He took a breath and said sincerely, "So on behalf of both of us... I'm sorry, Pepper. You've been holding everything together alone."
The clean, straightforward apology caught everyone off guard—including Pepper and Tony.
Tony blinked, mouth half open, but after catching Henry's look, he shut it again and crossed his arms with a sigh.
Fine. If Henry wanted to take the lead for once, he'd let him.
"But," Henry continued, his tone dropping low, steady, and serious, "the reason we locked ourselves in here for two weeks wasn't for fun, and it wasn't some ego-driven miracle."
He stepped aside, revealing Banner, Wanda, and Pietro behind him.
"It was for them."
"Pepper, look." Henry gestured at each of them. "You already know them, but let me reintroduce. This is Dr. Bruce Banner—one of the brightest minds alive, hunted for years like a monster. And this," he nodded toward the monitor showing files, "is Emil Blonsky—a decorated soldier, cast aside by the military."
His voice softened when his gaze shifted to Wanda and Pietro.
"Wanda and Pietro—two kids blinded by hate, used as weapons by HYDRA, nearly destroyed by it."
"We brought them back. We gave them a home. But that's not enough."
Henry walked over to the workstation and pulled up Michael Peterson's file, along with a picture of his son, Ace.
"This man's name is Michael Peterson. A normal father. To save his sick son, he was tricked by HYDRA and turned into a monster. A few days ago, he nearly died right in front of us."
"Pepper... the world's getting more dangerous every day. The people in the shadows don't play by business rules. They won't negotiate. They'll go after the people closest to us."
His voice hardened, eyes locking onto hers.
"So tell me—what if next time, HYDRA's target isn't us, but you? Or Happy? What would you do? What would he do?"
Pepper froze.
"That's why," Henry said softly but firmly, "we need power. Not for glory. Not for war. But for protection."
He pointed toward the empty syringes.
"This is the Phoenix Serum. It's not a weapon, Pepper. It's insurance."
"It gives Bruce control over the other side of himself. It gives Wanda and Pietro the strength to shape their own fate."
"And it gives our family a chance to stop being fragile."
"Everything we've done... is so the people we love can live safely in this world."
Silence filled the lab again.
Pepper stood there quietly, looking at the man she'd always seen as a younger brother—but now, there was something different in his eyes.
Sincerity. Responsibility.
She let out a long, helpless sigh.
She wasn't truly angry.
She was scared.
Scared they'd end up like Howard Stark—so obsessed with invention that they'd forget themselves, and lose everything.
Her eyes glistened with tears.
"You idiots..." Her voice trembled. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been these past two weeks?"
Seeing her tears, Tony couldn't keep up his act anymore. He stepped forward awkwardly and pulled her into a hug.
"We've always been here, Pepper."
Always.
Happy exhaled deeply and stepped forward.
He pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket, handed it to Pepper... then turned to face the two brothers.
"Boss. Mr. Henry." His tone was firm, resolute.
"That insurance—make one for me too."
As the Stark family's protector, nothing mattered more to him than being able to guard them with his own hands.
And now, he finally had the chance to gain the power to truly do it.
Henry looked at the three of them and smiled faintly.
This was the real world, wasn't it?
Not a script. Not a story.
Just people choosing to protect what they love.