Metallic Lights {Metallic Charms Book #3}

Chapter 16: Fire Fighters Family Fund

Chapter 16: Fire Fighters Family Fund:

 

//13 Months After Noel’s Disappearance//

~~~~~~~~~~~{Sky’s Point of View}~~~~~~~~~~~

A week and a half after we’d told the rest of the Avengers about our search for Noel, it was officially called off. Tony shut down the satellite tracking system and disabled his algorithm that traced the residue of dark matter particles left behind by the portals made by any Asgardian, but in this case, specifically tuned to Enchantress’ movements.

“There, done.” Tony pressed one last key on his computer and the whole thing was offline.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I know this is hard.” Pepper slipped her hands around Tony’s broad shoulders and held him closely. Oh yeah, did I mention that Pepper had come around two hours after Steve and I had... um. Well, anyway, she came over after that and Tony and her managed to patch things up and he told her about calling off the search –which she was really happy about.

Tony nodded mutely and pressed his lips to her temple. I rolled my eyes before retreating to my room for what must have been the seventh time within two and a half hours.

I’d cleared my stuff out of Steve’s apartment less than thirty-six hours after he’d broken up with me. Well, more specifically, Tony had gone to get my stuff for me because I didn’t think I couldn’t stand being around him, or any of the memories we’d created together in that space.

I was now living with Tony in the guest bedroom that was supposed to be for Clint and Natasha –but they hadn’t used it yet and I couldn’t bear the thought of living in the room that my only happy relationship had ended in.

It had been a long and difficult two weeks, filled with a lot of crying and chocolate and action flicks –instead of watching romance and making myself more depressed, Tony convinced me to sit down and watch the entire Die Hard series with him, and after that, every single James Bond film ever made. Surprisingly, I felt a little better watching all those movies. It gave my mind something to focus on other than the crushing pain I felt in my chest every time I thought about Captain Steve Rogers.

Thankfully, I wouldn’t see him tonight. I’d gotten the invitation to Tony’s annual charity gala a month ago, but I’d neglected to bring it up with Steve on whether or not he would go with me, so I didn’t have to worry about bumping into him tonight.

The Fire Fighter’s Family Fund always went off with a bang, the last time it had been on, Tony had hired Avril Lavigne and she’d had a major wardrobe malfunction, and the year before that, Tony Stark had made his first public appearance at the charity gala after his kidnapping in Afghanistan.

I was just hoping nothing explosive would happen this year. The Avengers –not to mention any of the heroes on their own – would not be able to handle it at a time like this.

“Are you getting ready?” Tony knocked on my door lightly.

“I’ve been ready for an hour.” I replied opening the door. I was in a floor length white dress, it synched in at the waist before billowing out around my legs. I had plain beige stilettos on and a simple gold clutch purse. I’d used the bare minimum of makeup and the only jewellery I wore was the statement bracelet that had a shiny opal-like stone framed around a gold band that was shaped like vines, encrusted in places with diamonds so it sparkled when it caught the light.

Steve had bought me that bracelet for our three month anniversary, and as painful as it was too look at, I couldn’t bear to part with it because it was one of the happiest moments of my life when I’d been standing on that balcony with him and he’d casually slipped the heavy band on my wrist...