The flight from New York to Malibu was the longest three hours of Tony Stark's life. He skipped the suit, unable to endure the metal any longer, and sat in the back of an Umbrella private jet, staring at his reflection in the dark window. The man staring back looked like a stranger—his mind moving at a speed that made the world feel like it was standing still.
When the Audi R8 screeched to a halt in the driveway of 10880 Malibu Point, Tony stepped out, his boots crunching on the gravel. The air was thick with the scent of the Pacific, but his attention was fixed on the four U.S.S. operatives positioned with surgical precision around his perimeter. They stood like obsidian statues, their black-and-silver tactical gear absorbing the moonlight.
As Tony approached the entrance, the lead operative—a man whose presence felt like a sharpened blade—stepped forward. He offered a disciplined nod of respect.
"Mr. Stark," the operative's voice was professional. "Our orders were to ensure Miss Potts' safety until your arrival."
He signaled to his team, and with practiced fluidity, they began to move toward their transport. "Our mission here is over. We will be heading back to Umbrella HQ now. Good night, sir."
Tony watched them go, realizing that while the world outside was in chaos, Aryan's reach was efficient, and—for those he called friends—singularly protective.
He walked toward the front door, which slid open immediately—his home system, stable and secure, recognizing its master.
"Tony?"
Pepper Potts stood on the balcony, silhouetted against the moonlight. She ran down the stairs, colliding with him at the base.
It was a desperate hug. Pepper clung to him as if he were a ghost. Tony buried his face in her hair, the scent of her shampoo—something mundane, something normal—nearly breaking his composure.
"I saw the news," she sobbed. "The Triskelion... the data... Tony, those men outside, those Umbrella soldiers—they said they were sent by a friend. They wouldn't let me leave for my own safety."
"It's okay, Pep. Aryan... he's making sure the fallout doesn't hit you," Tony rasped, leading her into the living room. The vast glass walls overlooked the ocean. Tony felt the power of the Super Soldier Serum and the Technopathy humming within him. The System of Sefirah Castle didn't merely grant power—it granted mastery. With a mere thought, he suppressed the glow in his eyes and the digital noise in his head, willing himself to be just Tony for her.
"I did things today, Pepper," he whispered, "I spoke to the machines. I wasn't Tony Stark today. I was... something more. Something I chose to become."
Pepper sat tucked into his side, her fingers interlaced with his, but her touch was cautious, as if she were afraid he might shatter. She noticed he seemed fundamentally different—calmer, stronger, and carrying a presence that felt more solid than the man who had left for the Triskelion.
"Tony," she whispered, her eyes searching for him. "Who did this to you? I saw the footage of the battle... you weren't just wearing a suit. You were moving things without touching them. Where did you get this power? Was it a project you never told me about?"
Tony squeezed her hand, "It wasn't a project, Pep. It was... fate. There is a place—a sanctuary called Sefirah Castle. It's a space outside our reality, a place of ancient power that somehow chooses people to represent the pillars of this world. It chose me."
Pepper pulled back slightly, her brow furrowed in confusion. "A castle outside reality? Tony, that sounds like a hallucination. How does a place just 'choose' someone?"
"I don't know how it works, but it's real," Tony explained, his voice steady and full of awe. "Aryan was the first one to find it.
"Aryan did this?" Pepper asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and wonder. "I knew he was advanced—Umbrella's tech is decades ahead of everyone—but to be involved in something that feels like... destiny? He's always seemed so... generous. The world practically worships him for the hospitals and the charity."
"He's the one who understands it," Tony said, leaning his head back. "The Castle pulls in those it deems worthy, but Aryan is the one who helps us make sense of the burden. He saw the threats coming from the stars—things S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't even dream of. He's the most selfless man I've ever met, Pep. He didn't ask for a dime; he just showed me that the universe had a plan for me."
Pepper looked down at their joined hands, "It's terrifying, Tony," she whispered. "To think that while we were arguing over contracts, Aryan was navigating the will of the universe."
"It is," Tony agreed softly. "But if anyone was going to be chosen alongside me, I'm glad it's someone with his heart. He's the only one I trust to lead us into whatever comes next. And right now, what comes next is getting Bucky fixed."
He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "Tomorrow is the first Monday of the month. At 2:00 PM, my consciousness has to go back to that place—the Sefirah Castle. It's the only time the members gather under the gaze of The Fool."
Pepper gasped. "You're leaving again?"
"Only in spirit. It's a consciousness transfer. But there's a reason I have to go," Tony's voice broke. "In that place, there is a one-time power called Mediumship. I will buy it from the System. Aryan... he's the one who told me about it. He saw how destroyed I was when I found out the truth about my parents' murder. He pointed out the option in the Castle's records—a way to talk to them. One last time."
Tony began to shake. The billionaire-hero facade crumbled. He turned into her lap, his broad shoulders heaving. He wasn't an "Ironman" of a secret club or a tech titan. He was a son who had finally found out his parents were murdered by a ghost from the past.
As the hours ticked toward midnight, the storm inside Tony settled.
"I can't go back to how it was, Pep," Tony said quietly. "The world is becoming an Earth Federation, led by that man 'The Leader.' Aryan is steering Umbrella toward a new age. But I realized something today."
"It means I'm not doing it alone," Tony said. He reached out with his mind. Using his Magnetism, he commanded a small piece of silver wire on a side table. Under Pepper's amazed gaze, the wire began to twist and braid itself in mid-air, until it formed a delicate Ring.
He took her hand. "I almost died today. I have the power of a god now, but I'm nothing without you. I need you to be the person I come home to when the fog of that Castle gets too thick."
Pepper smiled through her tears. "I've been doing that for years, Tony. You might as well make it official."
They spent the rest of the night talking.
The night was beautiful
Author's Note:
I know what you're thinking. You might be curious about what was said during that conversation... and how he used that newly acquired Magnetism and Super Soldier stamina to show Pepper a side of Tony she'd never imagined.
Let's just say that when you can control metal and your own molecular vibration, the sparks aren't just coming from the Arc Reactor! If you want to unlock the "Extended Private Session" between Tony and Pepper and see the full, uncensored details of their night battle—and how Tony's new powers took their chemistry to a literal 'magnetic' level…premium moments require premium payment. Hahaha
PS:
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Happy New Year 2026