Blue Phoenix - MCU Civil War Replacement

Chapter Twelve

I'd just finished up talking with the King of Wakanda and T'Challa, giving them the update from our side of the mission, leaving out the fact Steve had almost got himself blown up and explaining to them about my powers and how I'd contained the blast, they'd been very impressed and grateful since we'd had no collateral damage aside from the guard at the I.I.D.'s front gate that the truck had plowed through. He was hurt but not seriously.

I'd skipped breakfast this morning and was about to head down to the gym when I look up and see Pepper standing in my door smiling at me.

"Pepper, it's great to see you. Did I forget to mark a meeting? I thought we were meeting tomorrow." I ask, standing up from behind my desk and meeting her with a hug.

"No, I was stopping by to pick up Tony for a demo of one of his new creations but he's decided to stay here. I shouldn't be surprised, he was never fond of that part of being the face of Stark Industries. Do you have a minute to talk? Tony told me about your last mission and said you fainted?"

"I'm fine, come in and sit down." I say and we cross the room to the couches. "What's on your mind?"

I'd basically fainted on the jet. Thor carried me to the Phoenix hanger as soon as the jet landed and I burned off the energy I'd taken in from the bomb meant to kill Steve. The tests were still being ran on my blood Tony had drawn for me. I'd felt completely normal when I woke up this morning.

"I actually wanted to check in with you about Tony. Since we stopped seeing each other he's withdrawn from me which I know isn't unusual but I worry about him and you guys had a rather big day yesterday."

"He's doing okay but I can't tell you much more than that."

"Thanks. I know it's silly to worry about him since we're not together anymore but it's a hard habit to break I guess. He seems happier since you joined the team. How are you liking being an Avenger?"

"It's not silly. You've been worrying about him for years, even before you two tried dating. I think it's sweet, I know he still cares about you too. I'm loving it here, it feels good to be part of a team again."

She looks out the window, deep in thought for a few minutes. It was sweet she was still worried about Tony. She understood him better than most people but sometimes no matter how much you care about someone some relationships just weren't meant to develop past friendship. The fact they could still maintain a part of their friendship was remarkable in my opinion.

"You care about him don't you?"

"I do. I care about everyone here."

She looks at me with a knowing smile. It was true I cared about all of my new friends, even Steve though I wasn't sure he could be classified as a friend, but with all the time Tony and I have been spending together going over the files we'd recovered from Hydra I was starting to have deeper feelings for him. It was hard not to like the man. I run a finger over the bracelet he'd given me for my bracelet, a soft smile forming on my lips.

"You know what I mean. It's okay, I want him to be happy. He's different since you came here, definitely happier but it's more than that. He's grown up and I think that's because of you. You're good for him in a way I wasn't."

"I want him to be happy too but wouldn't it be weird dating him since I've been his shrink for so long?"

"You've been more than just a shrink to both of us over the years Kenna, you've been a true friend to both of us. You're the only person who knows Tony better than I do and that isn't just because you're his shrink. In fact the fact you are a doctor makes the fact he trusts you the way he does so surprising. He doesn't trust people very easily and he trusts doctors even less."