The sound of Bach and a footsteps, and the smell of coffee grounds and overly polluted air with a whiff of sea salt surrounded the penthouse that I had become newly used to. I had lived in it for six years before I got taken to the cave, but it still was completely different now that I was back. Now that she was here.

I blinked and turned where through the partially open doorway of our bedroom a moving shadow was present. Strange, normally I was the one that woke up first.

I rose into awareness, walking slowly into the kitchen. Wearing a slightly too large button down plaid shirt, and gym shorts, along with a high ponytail was the love of my life. After a month out of the cave adjusting to life was strange. After spending two years in a small contained space with only each other for company what would one expect. We had to slowly transition into daily life again, and our lives that we got to live again. But now I just liked to see the view for what it was.

Grabbing a spatula and flipping a pancake, the morning sun glimmered in her hair. Her small doll like hands chopping a strawberry and plopping then into the blender where another variety of fruits sat. Bare feet on skinny legs walked in a way that to me looked like dancing. The lights showed her gorgeous peachy completion that was slowly returning to what it had been before the cave.

Her body, while still underweight, was far fuller than it had been.

God, what had I done to deserve such a stunning partner.

When she turned to continue cutting stuff to go into the blender, I walked in smoothly wrapping my arms around her waist and kissed just below her ear.

"Good morning, beautiful."

Her giggles filled the space, making the entire world happy again.

"Anthony!"

She turned around, the big brown doe eyes I adored sparkling.

I pressed my lips to her small sweet beautiful ones. I gave a small squeeze at her waist, enjoying the extra layers of weight being added. While the penthouse smelled like salt water, Isabella's scent was like lemons and oranges.

Pepper could go to hell if she thought I would ever give this up.

The kiss ended so we could catch our breaths.

"How long've you been up for."

My love shrugged, her hair swaying behind her.

"Half hour, maybe more."

It didn't take more than a glance to see the dark bags under her eyes, and I felt the way her hands shook just slightly. Nightmares,

"You could've woken me, you know."

A brush of seriousness met her tired hazel eyes.

"I know."

I kissed the top of her head gently. Despite being out of the cave it's remnants weren't so easy to diminish. Walking over to the counter I carefully tapped on the granite, a screen coming up as it should. Pulling up the buildings settings I upped protection and security three notches. Isabella was tired, she would be more vulnerable for attack. I wouldn't let anyone's nefarious people come after her when she wasn't in full strength.

With her back turned to me, focusing on what seemed to be hash browns I knew I had a second.

"FRIDAY" I whispered,

"Show me her vitals."

A small light flashed unnoticeable unless you were looking for it.

The screen before me lit up.

Oxygen levels were good, slightly dehydrated, blood flow okay, still underweight. Overall alright, but a glass of water and a nap was in order later.

Looking up Isabella was putting the hash browns onto plates, and pouring the smoothie into two glasses.

Placing it in front of me I knew with the amount she was awake for more than a half hour. My heart clenched bitter sweetly at the fact that the complete platter of eggs, French toast, hash browns, a smoothie and some sausages to top it off. She was up for at least an hour making this.

And I'm fairly certain none of it was planned either.

We had gone to bed late last night to make matters worse. One last glance st my screen seeing how tired she was, yup we were taking a nap.

Until then though, I marveled at the culinary skills of my partner. Holy hell even I couldn't pull this off.

"So I was thinking," I started drawling off, "we could finally open up the workshop today."

Her eyes lightened up,

"We've been cleared"

I nodded

" called me last night while you were in the shower. We can go anywhere now."

In the month that we had returned the places we could and couldn't go were limited. In a place like New York City, the two years we had missed meant a ton of germs and diseases our bodies couldn't get a defense for yet. Trapped inside a contained space that was overall at a peak of cleanliness, with the most exposure coming from a Norse God whose body had always come out of a decontamination shower.

Therefore we were limited to the tower, the compound, and the two cafes and a flower shop directly next to the tower because I paid them a truck full of cash to make sure nothing toxic or harmful came past there doors.

"Are you gunna do iron man again."

Isabella asked casually,

"I'm not sure. The Accords have to be cleaned up, and I'm not sure I can stand Rogers quite yet."

Isabella narrowed her eyes and spoke shortly

"I don't want him anywhere you. I'll talk to T'Challa if you need me to."

I shook my head fondly at her protectiveness.

"Don't worry about it, everything is under control. He knows not to come near us."

The lights buzzed when Isabella turned them on one by one for dramatic effect.

The tables, the screens, desks, tools, and so many blue prints and mechanical pencils.

"Holy hell." I heard my beloved whisper next to me.

Looking at what was the only home in this tower for me, I shared the same sentiment.

Walking through the aisle with Mark 47 hanging in it's glass case.

Everything seemed to have been left in a constant pause since the kid napping.

Widow bites on the counter, a new prototype for a safety device on the ceiling.

The walls had an endless amount of tools for me to tinker with. The white light coming off the ceiling bounced off the metal making there be twinkle lights.

Iron spider was towards the back, Thor's magic belt behind that. Endless amount of repulsers, and red alloy titanium. In a few cabinets, behind bulletproof glass, dozens of mini-arc reactors were glowing.

All sitting behind a layer of dust, gathering for the past few years. Completely untouched, with us locked away in a cave.

A beep came from the back, followed by a series of clicks and lights in the back. Holy shit man I almost forgot about them.

"Hey U!"

A small robot with a long arm, followed by two more.

"DUM-E, Butterfingers!"

I stroked butterfingers tiny metallic hands, watched as DUM-E lit up with excitement and looked like he was just itching to get the fire extinguisher.

FRIDAY was such a good girl and opened up at the drawers to reveal that literally no one had been down here except for the bots and her. My equipment was perfect, my designs lightly dusted, and I looked behind me to see my one and only standing in the middle of all of it.

Surrounded my nanotech, arc reactors, suits, and the rest of my creations to light her up I knew I had an idea in my mind.

It had been two years but I still had enemies, someone had put the two of us in that cave.

If anything was to show for it was that even the best bodyguards failed at times. The only one that hadn't was iron man whom I didn't bring.

Her beautiful big eyes looked at me curiously

"Tony?"

So I clapped my hands together.

"We've got work to do."

First things first, I had to make this place Isabella-Safe.