Tony awoke with a jerk, insane brightness of a silver room surrounding him. "What-the hell?" He mumbled his head pounding a haziness clouding his vision. It took him a moment to realize he was tied to a chair. What?! Where was he? What happened? The last thing he could remember was….the charity ball…with the other Avengers. Crap, where were they?!

"Tony?" "Tony!" "Tony wake up!" Tony's head shot up looking for the voices that were calling to him, and as everything started to come into focus he saw a decent sized monitor not to far from him, the images of his five teammates all stuck in similar rooms on display. "Guys?" He said still foggy. "What the hell happened?"

"We got drugged and kidnapped at a charity ball. Do you know where the others are Tony?" Natasha, who was pretty close to her monitor, her posture totally conveying mission mode, spoke quickly. Tony raised an eyebrow in question. Couldn't she see them? "Well relatively. I can see you all on the monitor. Can't you?" Natasha cocked her head in confusion, basically answering his question, and went silent for a moment contemplating.

Tony took that chance to inspect further. Thor was pacing the room trying to punch the walls to no avail, his hammer nowhere in sight. Bruce was just lying on the floor, eyes occasionally flickering to the monitor before they once again went unfocused. Tony's anger spiked and he pulled on his restraints knowing that Bruce was heavily drugged to keep the Hulk from making an appearance. No one messed with Bruce. FUCKING EVER. The guy had enough crap in his life and Tony said he'd protect him. Obviously though he was doing a crap job. Clint was unsurprisingly pissed off and cursing under his breath searching the room for exits, shooting questions that Tony couldn't really hear. Steve was standing pretty close to his monitor talking to Tony in his -Captain America No-Nonsense- tone, which he didn't understand any of, Tony's brain wasn't quite there yet, and Natasha was just watching Tony warily, her eyes calculating.

"Tony? Are you alright?" Natasha said in a tone that almost sounded worried. Tony decided to only focus on her until his brain catches up with him. "Uh- just a little groggy. Brain isn't exactly caught up yet. Can you guys please shhhhhhh I can only listen to one person at a time…." His voice was strained and it struck a chord in all the other Avengers, immediately silencing them all. Natasha waited a moment before speaking; making her words slow and praying to god Tony didn't have a concussion. "Okay Tony, can you please tell me, are the others tied up? Can they see everyone like you?" Tony nodded weakly in response and took the team in. "K guys raise your hand if you can see anyone but me."

No one raised their hand and Tony cursed realizing what was going on. "Shit no Tasha I'm the only one tied up. Everyone can see me, I can see everyone, but you can't see each other. Whoever got us wants me." Natasha cursed and then took a deep breath. "Tony who do you think this would be? Who has the resources?" Tony's eyes dawned in realization just as the captor walked into Tony's room in front of the monitors. "Hello, Mr. Stark. We meet again." Tony swallows as the haziness fades a bit and smirks at his captor. "Hey! Justin Hammer, it's been a while."

He hears Russian cursing coming from the monitor but doesn't let his eyes wander from Hammer, not trusting the man as far as he could throw him. Hammer just smirks at Tony and ruffles his hair mockingly. "To long Tony, too long." Tony jerks out from under his touch and scowls. Hammer just shakes his head and makes a "Tsk" noise. "Now, now Tony, I'd be polite to someone who has all your friends at his mercy." Tony takes a sharp breath and nods. "What do you want Hammer?" Hammer smiles evilly and without warning punches Tony hard in the stomach.

Tony groans and several shouts and curses ring out from the monitor, Hammer just laughs at them. "I don't want anything Tony, Just revenge." Tony nods still catching his breath, the haziness mostly chased from his mind. "Alright you have it; you have me, let the others go. I won't fight you or try to escape."

"TONY DON'T YOU DARE!" He hears Natasha and Clint's voices screaming followed by Steve's "Tony, no don't do this, please don't." pleading with him, Bruce's panicked "TONY! NO! Don't be stupid!" as he tries to fight off the drugs and even Thor's "Man of Iron, do not put yourself in jeopardy for us!" Despite Tony's every intention of ignoring them all, he smiles a halfhearted smile at them, his heart warming at his team's concern. Suddenly Hammer presses the end of a cold medal gun Tony's temple and looks into the monitor with an aggravated expression. "I suggest you quiet it down, unless you all want me to Stark's brain splattered all over my nice clean floor." The monitor goes quiet immediately and Hammer smirks and removes the gun from Tony's temple and turns his attention back to the billionaire. "Aww how noble, Tony Stark, willingly giving yourself up for your friends. Except I can't do that you see, because I can't exactly ruin the team if I don't have them now can I?" Tony's passive expression fades for a moment in confusion. "What are you talking about Hammer?"

Hammer grins and hits Tony with a right hook, causing his head to snap back with a crack that makes the whole team wince. Quickly before Tony can react Hammer grabs a handful of Tony's hair, forcing him to looks at the monitor, where he is met with 6 angry and worried faces. "LOOK at them Tony. You're willing to die for them, yet they don't even know you. Do they know Daddy dearest beat up on poor little Tony? That he HATED YOU? Did they know poor little Tony was suicidal until the age of 21 and was put under suicide watch?" Tony's eyes go wide and Hammer smirks." What? Surprised I know about the things you tried so desperately to hide?" Tony's gaze falls to the ground and he clenches his fist in anger as he tries to control his breathing and remind himself it was over years ago. Hammer just trying to break him, distract him, and get a reaction. "Hammer that's all old news." Tony says shrugging with fake indifference. Hammer chuckles and Tony's head is jerked up roughly by his hair again and Hammer cocks his head to the side and grins. "Oh, then why do all your friends look so horrified?"

Tony's curiosity and guilt gets the better of him and his eyes fly up to see his teammates. Steve is right up by the monitor his eyes regretful and shocked, mouthing silent apologies to Tony that pull on his hear. Steve had nothing to do with it, but Tony knew that wouldn't stop him from feeling guilty anyway. Natasha is hitting the wall and looking at him with regret, anger, and a very murderous expression taking over her usual neutral mask. Clint is staring at the monitor with an expression somewhere between understanding and anger, but leaning more towards the "Why the HELL didn't you tell me" glare Clint was so good at." Bruce was just staring at the monitor silently trying to get to his feet, shooting Tony his best comforting looks. Thor just looked epically confused and angry. Really angry. Tony tries for a smile, but it looks more like a grimace the way Hammer has his hair. "Come on guys, it's okay. Over years ago. Hammer's just screwing with us." Hammer snorts and none of his teammates worried expressions disappear.

"Hmmmm that's what I thought. You're little team didn't know that they're the only family you ever had. How touching, it's too bad you won't all walk out to have a heart to heart."

Tony's blood goes cold at that and he begins to pull hard on his restraints, his hands shaking he tries to make his voice strong. "Hammer please just let them go. You can do whatever you want to me, no tricks ,no smart ass remarks, no anything, I swear." Hammer laughs at that and smiles at Tony. "Even if I did believe you, which I don't, I'm not letting you all go. One Avenger is going to die today, and you get to pick. Then you'll explain to the others why you picked that one." Tony's face freezes in horror and he can swear his heart stops beating for a moment. "What?" He whispers in horror and Hammer throws his head back in laughter. "Oh Tony, I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I know I'm going to jail. But you're team isn't going to make it out intact while I rot in a cell. One Avenger is going to be tortured, and then killed where you can see, and you're going to choose which one. If you refuse, I kill them all."

Tony's eyes go wide and he starts hyperventilating. "Hammer please don't. Leave them out of this." Tony's voice sounds weak even to his own ears, but he doesn't care, this is his TEAM. Hammer just smiles and shakes his head in false regret. "Sorry Tony, you took everything from me now I'm going to take everything from you. You pick one to die, and the rest of your little team will hate you for your choice. I lost my power, my reputation, my freedom. Now you lose them. You have 10 minutes. Why don't you use those new emotions of yours? Which Avenger means the least to you Tony?"

Tony's eyes flicker panicked to the screen as Hammer laughs and all the Avengers start shouting at him a chorus of selfless "TONY! Pick me!" just ringing in his ears until Hammer lifts the gun to Tony's head again and everyone quiets. Hammer smirks at their obedience and chuckles darkly. "One at a time, one at a time, How about ladies first? Ms. Romanov?" Natasha shoots Hammer a glare of pure hatred and then looks to Tony her eyes softening. "Tony please. Choose me, I'm equipped for torture, I'm a murderer, I have this coming anyway. God I know this sounds horrible, but no matter what Tony you can't pick Clint, I can't- I can't function- without him. I'll die anyway. Whatever he says- Don't listen. Get the rest of the team out of here Stark, please Tony please." Her eyes are begging him and despite the audience he can't help the tears that spill from his eyes and he blinks them away, pulling his eyes from Natasha before he starts full on crying.

"Come on Captain, you get your words of heroism next." Steve shoots Hammer the same glare before looking at Tony, his eyes sad and angry. "Come on Tony. You know you have to choose me. I'm a super solider; I can take the torture, and death. Tony I don't even belong in this time. I don't belong here, let me protect the team and then I can see Peggy and Bucky. I know you can take care of them and you know this is best. PLEASE TONY."

Tony's heart starts breaking again and he digs his nails into his palm hard enough to draw blood trying to keep some sort of cool. "Little Archer, go ahead." Hammer says bored, but not putting down the gun. Clint shots him daggers as well then looks to Tony panicked. "Tony, I know this is hard, but you have to do this alright? Let me save them, save Natasha. I'm just a bow, you can find someone else. I've been tortured plenty of times; these amateurs can't get to me. Plus I don't care if I die, I can't watch anyone else die, not after Loki, not after killing all those people. PLEASE TONY. Natasha… god I love her, and the team… I can't live without you guys so there's no point. Do what's right Tony. Clint's eyes bore right into Tony's sole and he actually has to close his eyes and catch his breath for a moment.

"Alright Monster, speak up. Be quick about it." Hammer jams the gun harder into Tony's temple and he winces in spite of himself. Bruce blinks a few times, focusing on Tony and sighing sadly "Tony, this is killing you, I know it is, I'm sorry for that. We're friends, and I know it's hard, but you know I'm the only one here who should die. I've tried to kill myself before Tony and I haven't changed that much. I have nothing but you guys, so let me protect you. Please Tony, you don't even know if they could kill me, the other guy is tough. Torture? I've been a lab experiment, I think I'll manage, Save everyone else Tony. Use that brain and get them out safely." Bruce's eyes are kind and accepting and every damn time Tony lets himself look at them it's like a dagger to the heart.

"Thunder, speak up. You're last. Hope you're thinking Tony." Hammer says laughing the gun sliding from Tony's temple as Hammer finally gets bored and just stares at the screen as Thor looks at Tony, with that confused, but determined expression of his. "Man of Iron. I have lived a long life, many thousands of your years. I have fulfilled my purpose, choose me and I shall go to Valhalla and meet my brothers who fell in past battles. Your lifespans are short Man of Iron; do not let our friends waste theirs."

Thor sits after his speech and they all look at Tony with pleading eyes, his heart races dangerously, and looking at all the people he loves begging him to choose them, he finally panics. He has to choose, god he has to choose who will die! Who? He loves them all. He can't let either of the Assassin Twins die, they can't live without each other. Cap? What would the team do without Cap and his kindness, his strength? They couldn't be the Avengers without Steve. Bruce, god no Bruce…he couldn't let Bruce die, not before he showed him that life was worth living. Thor? God, no. Thor's humor and strength held them together. He couldn't do this. He couldn't wake up and not see Natasha or Clint scaring the hell out of whatever poor soul wondered in for breakfast first, he couldn't NOT see Steve reading the paper like an old man and lecturing him about staying up too late, or never again see Bruce trying to explain to Thor the microwave, the T.V. or whatever it was that day. Couldn't accept that there would be no more movie nights with them all, no more game nights… because there would always one missing…..no…no he just couldn't…he can't NO!" Suddenly Tony is struck out of his panic attack by a stinging pain on the side of his face.

"STARK!" Hammer yells angrily at him. Tony blinks in surprise as his breathing returns to normal and somewhere in his mind realizes Hammer must have hit him again. "What's wrong Stark? Emotions already gone? Figures, your cold heart, you don't care about anyone but yourself. Use LOGIC then Stark. Which Avenger is needed the least?"

Tony's brain starts buzzing again with panic but he quenches it quickly. He's a genius; he can think of a solution, he has to, right? He can't live without the Avengers, not even one missing, he can't, but one Avenger has to die, one Avenger that he has to- OH. Suddenly it hits him; it's so obvious he can't believe he didn't see it before. He had to think logically. Least needed…

Tony looks to his teammates one last time and smiles tears pooling in his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I love you guys. I'm so sorry I got you all into this." They nods their heads in acceptance, and Tony's sure they'd say something if Hammer wasn't threating him every time they spoke. They all have that look, the look he had in New York. They were all sure he'd chosen them, certain that they were going to die. God he didn't want to have to make this choice, he didn't want to lose any of them.

"Time's up Stark. Who's your choice? Who dies?" Tony's stomach rolls at the excitement in Hammer's voice, the sick bastard. He looks over his teammates then pulls his eyes away, looking directly at Hammer. "ME."

Guys I am gonna finsh this, swear I'm leaving it open alright? :) hope you enjoyed.