Location: Stark's Lake House, Upstate New York
Time: 15 Days Before Maw & Cull's Arrival
The sky over the lake was the kind of blue that seemed to hum with peace.
Inside, Tony Stark lounged in a hoodie, fiddling with a sleek-looking drone prototype while Pepper handed him a smoothie.
"You're not putting jet propulsion on it," she warned.
"I'm just testing the aerodynamics," Tony replied innocently, absolutely lying.
Pepper raised a brow. "Tony."
He sighed. "Fine. No tiny rockets... today."
Then the front door flung open with a swirl of golden sparks.
Enter: Wizard and Scientist
"Tony Stark," Stephen Strange said, stepping through a portal with Bruce Banner behind him. "We need to talk."
Tony didn't look up. "Oh good. Another wizard at my door. Was wondering when Hogwarts would start recruiting engineers."
Pepper blinked. "Stephen?"
Banner offered an awkward smile. "Hey, Tony. It's urgent."
Tony finally looked up—and frowned.
Banner looked like he'd seen the end of the world.
Strange? Even worse—he looked like he had plans.
Sarcastic Icebreakers
Tony stood up, arms crossed. "You know, normally when people use sparkly magic holes to break into my house, they at least call first."
Strange didn't blink. "Would've taken too long. Besides, you're hard to find when you're... off-grid playing domestic Tony."
Banner cut in. "This isn't a social call. Thanos is coming."
Tony's smirk dropped instantly.
The Stark Breakdown
Tony looked between them, then exhaled. "You're serious. You're both serious."
Strange nodded. "He has four Infinity Stones already. He'll be here soon."
"And we know he's coming here?" Tony asked, already switching to that other mode—half panic, half hyper-genius.
"Yes," Bruce said. "He'll want the Time Stone."
Tony blinked. "Wait—you have one of those?"
Strange casually rotated the Eye of Agamotto in his hand. "I don't carry it around for fashion."
Tony rubbed his temples. "Of course. First a guy in a metal suit. Then a green rage monster. Now a wizard with a cosmic fidget spinner."
Banner snorted.
Real Talk
Tony turned serious. "How long do we have?"
"Maybe two weeks," Strange replied.
"Then why are you here now?"
"Because we want to prepare this time," Bruce said.
"Last time?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
Strange waved it off. "Long story. Alternate possible timeline. Inconvenient deaths. You died."
"Oh. Neat."
Pepper frowned. "Tony…"
"I know," he said, voice low.
Strange added, "We're assembling a counter-strike force. We have Sanctum protections. And allies."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "You're asking me to come back in?"
"No," Strange said. "I'm telling you. Because without you, we lose."
Mutual Snark, Mutual Trust
Tony sighed dramatically. "You know, I really thought I'd get a few years of quiet."
"You're Tony Stark," Bruce deadpanned. "That was never going to happen."
Strange flicked a finger. A portal opened. "We can explain everything at the Sanctum."
Tony grabbed his drone and smoothie. "Fine. But if this ends in a time loop where I marry a raccoon, I'm blaming you."
"No promises," Strange said dryly.
Exit, With Sparks
As the three stepped through the portal, Pepper stood in the doorway.
"Bring him back in one piece," she told Strange.
Strange nodded.
But in his eyes, there was a flicker of uncertainty.
End Scene: Shadows Tighten
Above Earth, the stars seemed to move ever so slightly.
And far away, the Black Order began to descend.