[Hey guys, sorry about the wait. A member of my family is going through some personal health issues so I've been too busy to write anything until now. I apologize for how short the chapter is.]

A few days passed since Loki's warning and everything had been calm. Tony and Stephen would work together on B.A.R.F., Jarvis would continue filing everything on Shield/hydra, and Pepper took to being in charge like a boss. Tony snorted as he recalled Pepper's face when he said that particular pun. Tony now sported the shadow of his old facial hair, he missed his beard.

It was as he reclined on hjs couch that Jarvis notifided Tony of a disturbance within the atmosphere near New Mexico. Thor had finaly been sent to the time out corner. Tony kept his eyes on his TV screen while fliping through the different channels.

"So how did his landing go?"

"Well Sir it appears as though he landed in the middle of a teenage outdoor party. One of the partygoers tazed him after he began to show hostility."

Tony burst out laughing,

"He got tazed again?! That is the best news I've heard, please tell me they got pictures."

"Even better, it was recorded on a camcorder."

Tony held onto his gut as he laughed hard, eyes tearing up a bit.

"Send whoever it is a card and offer to buy the tape J, I'd love to have that in my collection."

"Considerate done sir." Jarvis said, voice filled with amusement.

Tony smiled widely and shook his headhead. He hoped he would be able to ignore the spoiled princeling, knowing his lucky though, he would end up dealing with him at some point in the near future.

Tony let the TV play some random show while his mind wandered. Obadiah is imprisoned, S.I. is stepping into clean energy and out of arms dealing, he and Strange are working together, and soon enough Shield will be to busy dealing with their own infestation to be bothered by him. He had already changed the timeline drastically, different choices cause different ripples or whatever, now he just needs to stick to the plan as much as possible.

The plan is pretty simple, something easy to follow. Well he calls it a plan but it's more of a 'to do' list.

Step one; get rid of Stane. Check.

Step two; start clean energy early. Check.

Step three; create B.A.R.F. while dragging Strange into the mix. Check.

...Okay so involving Strange was more of a spontaneous decision but one of his better ones. It didn't hurt that he's actually starting to like the guy more.

Tony was pulled from his musing when, through the glass door, he saw Pepper come inside with an irritated expression. She was carrying an armful of paperwork and walked towards him with and intense determination. He could only groan at the thought if even more paperwork. Pepper is a cruel, if efficient, boss.

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Stephen sat in his hotel chair rubbing his temple in an attempt to sooth his growing migraine. For the past few days he'd been experiencing strange dreams. They were so fantastical that he had even checked his food and drinks for acid, because damn if it wasn't an acid trip every time he slept.

Building folding in on themselves, stones bursting into turquoise butterflies, and glowing power erupting from shaking hands covered in scars. He could only ever remember small pieces each time he dreamed.

Then there were the thoughts.

They didn't come often but when they did it would always be about Tony. About how he is so very good or how he'll change the world. The most recent thought that came to him was a simple one.

Someone has to protect him, they'll try to take advantage of him and it will break him.Stephen Strange had no idea what to think about these odd happenings. He knew that he did not have any abnormalities or brain tumors. However there is also no sign of anyone tampering with his food or drink.

So if it isn't drugs or hallucinations what are they and what exactly is causing them?

000000000000000000000000000Across the country, hidden in an unknown location, Nicholas J. Fury received an anonymous email. An email sent to his computer that he had not yet linked into Shield's network. Glaring at his computer as though it had betrayed him Fury ignored the orange cat that was rubbing against his leg. As Goose, the cat, continued to seek affection Fury opened the email. His eye began to grow wide as he read through it. Once he finished reading he sat at his desk in shock and muttered.

"Son of a bitch..."