A Trio Of Kree

The year was 2002 and Serena was a very precocious 4 years of age. An apple in her father’s eye...and her mother’s. With long, brown hair, she held her favorite toy, a large, gray, fluffy elephant named ‘Tuskers’. Tony had just gotten off of the phone with Nick Fury. SHIELD had telemetry from one of their surveillance satellites that had eluded to an advanced technological race called ‘The Kree’ had once again flown a ship into their atmosphere. They lost site of the craft near New York and Nick asked The Avengers to check it out.

Isabella, for some reason was...well ravishing. As she sat and held their daughter Serena. Tony grinned at them but she would see that spark of desire for her in his eyes. Her hair had a bit of curl to it and she wore it long lately. How he wanted to entangle his fingers in it now, among other things! “It’s the Kree, apparently one of SHIELD’s satellites caught a ship entering into Earth’s atmosphere,” Tony said.

The Kree were first known to Earth from an incident involving Captain Marvel. A dangerous, technologically advanced race of aliens whose motives were not exactly honorable. “We’ll have to call the nanny for this one, I’ll Call Brian, Scott and Luke. Can you call Jessica?,” Tony asked. He was ofcourse talking about Luke Cage, Ronin, Ant-Man and Spider Woman who were apart of the Avengers then. Jessica and Tony were still not on the best of terms after what happened with The Scarlet Witch and Isabella was often the mediator between them.

Isabella was incredibly happy. She could not have asked for a better life. She was married to an incredible man and had a beautiful daughter and she could not wait to share her happy news with Tony. She had been waiting for the perfect moment. She hoped Tony would be thrilled. She still remembered when she told him about Serena. He had been ecstatic. She had never seen him as happy as she had that day...except for the day Serena was born. They hadn't exactly talked about having another child, but the implication was there that they would like to. Of course there would never be the perfect time...not with the jobs they had. They were always on call and their missions often put them in grave danger. However, they had managed to make it work so far. Serena grew up in the Tower surrounded by super heroes and always had someone looking out for her.

When Tony mentioned the Kree she knew she needed to tell him now. He certainly wouldn't like her fighting in her current condition. "Uh Tony. I actually don't think it's a good idea if I go this time."

Of all the responses from her he expected. ‘I actually don’t think it’s a good idea if I go this time,’ Was not among them. Tony was a quick witted man. Not prone to bizaar notions or flights of fancy. But her saying this now, right now made his head tilt to the side as he considered her. He frowned in thought for a moment as he scanned her face. A beautiful glowing face. Suddenly it came to him and he smiled. Excitement grew quickly in his eyes and he beamed at her. “Are you serious? Your pregnant?” He asked quickly. Her smile as she nodded was all he needed before he was there just above her kissing her over and over. “You’ve made me so happy Isabella,” He whispered.

“Ew...kissing!” Serena said with a grimace. Her comment made Tony laugh and he playfully covered her eyes as he kissed Isabella again. “Then just Jessica, we’ll meet at the Helipad,” He said. “I love you and you!” He said then snorted like a pig as he attacked Serena’s neck. She squealed and pushed him away. Tony hurried off to get suited up and call the others.

Isabella’s smile grew into a grin when Tony realized what she was trying to tell him. His reaction was what she had been hoping for. It wouldn’t be easy, but they would make it work. She laughed happily as he began to kiss her all over. “Yes, I can call Jessica. We can properly celebrate later,” she added with a playful grin.

After Tony left she called Jessica and told her to meet the others st the helipad. She then settled in to watch Serena and wait for Yony to return.

The Kree were not all that personable and indeed when Tony approached them they attacked. Luke charged in like a bull while Tony flew up to shootnthem with his beams. He didn’t want to seriously hurt these...blue skinned people but they had armor and blasters of some kind. One of them met Luke and they crashed into one another and began to slug it out like some kind of heavyweight boxing match. The others were more wiley and used their hi tech weapons to great effect. Tony took a blast right in the chest and as he landed Jarvis called immediately for another suit.

As Isabella waiter she heard Jarvis announce a suit launch. Not a good sign. It meant that Tony’s suit was damaged beyond repair and he needed another one fast.

Isabella felt helpless just waiting around the Tower while Tony and the others were out fighting. She wanted to be out there helping them, but she could not risk her unborn child. She made some tea and paced a little while Serena continued to play with her stuffed elephant toy. She kept going over to the windows to look out. However, when she heard Jarvis announce a suit launch she knew that that wasn't a good sign.

She pressed a button on her watch that enabled her to talk to Tony. "Tony, please tell me you're alright."

Tony heard the phone call coming into his helmet. His HUD was a complete mess as he continued to fight. His targeting computer was destroyed and he was aiming manually. Spider woman was down as well as Ronin. Only himself, Luck Cage and Ant Man were in any real fighting shape but they managed to get the brawler down. A large, purple skinned fellow with a bad disposition.

“Hi hun, define alright?” He asked as he shot at one of the Kree again. Luke and himself hid behind a large group of boulders While Ant Man was running for his life inside their ship.

“Error, homing beacon disrupted,” Jarvis said and the suit launch did not happen. They both heard that. “Tell me that wasn’t Jarvis telling us he can’t find me?” Tony said. He only had one boot and his other barely had any propulsion ability left.

Isabella continued to pace and chewed her lower lip as she waited for Tony to answer. When he finally did she was relieved to hear his voice, but that relief was short lived by his response to her question. She could hear the fighting going on and she could not keep the worry from her face. She opened her mouth to say something else when she was interrupted by Jarvis announcing that the homing beacon was disrupted. The suit Tony needed didn't launch. At that exact moment Happy walked in and Isabella looked at him and then back at her watch. "I'm coming with your suit Tony," she said and then hung up. She looked at Happy as she rushed out of the room. "Stay with Serena."

She quickly went to the lab. There was only one way of getting the suit to Tony. She would have to wear it herself and fly it to him and then let him have it and quickly leave the scene. She pressed a button on her watch and the suit activated and within moments it was around her. It was too big for her, but it would have to do. Her suit and Tony's worked nearly the same way and she knew how to operate it. A part of the ceiling opened up and she flew out and headed towards the fighting. She spotted Tony and flew down to him. She pressed a button and the suit disassembled and then began to reassemble around Tony.

Her abrupt hang up spoke volumes to Tony. And he wondered why his new suit hadn’t arrived yet. He continued to fight alongside Luke and Ant-man and Ant-Man grew large and kicked the Kree he was fighting. The kick sent him flying so there was just one, their leader right then. But that was bad enough. The guy had an arsenal it seemed.

It was a complete surprise when He saw his suit and Isabella inside of it! They were still behind their cover but the rocks had taken a beating by the Kree and were becoming unstable. Ant-Man had turned small again and was going to try something new in desperation. Luke tried to charge the last Kree and became entangled in some kind of grenade the man tossed at him. Just as Isabella began taking off the suit though Tony heard that resounded ‘thuoomp’ that he had heard before when the man shot his grenades. “Wait isabella! No!!!” He yelled. As he did Ant Man grew to his largest size and fell down atop the Kree, crushing him. The Grenade went off with Isabella exposed. She was blown back about 4 meters and Tony crawled up to her.

Isabella wasn’t conscious at first. She had taken a piece of shrapnel in her abdomen. She was bleeding after Tony ripped the small shard out. He used his suits clotting agent on her wound but he continued to put pressure there until help came. When she became conscious he was sitting on his knees above her with his face exposed. “There you are babe, you had me scared there for a moment,” Tony said. His suit’s diagnostic tools were inoperative so he couldn’t even see if he had internal bleeding. He put on a good face for her though just like she always did for him. Well, mostly anyone. Sometimes she was so angry with him her ‘first aid’ involved a good deal of beratement.

A quick glance around her was enough to tell Isabella that Tony and the others weren't exactly winning the fight at that moment. She knew Tony would be able to help once he had his suit. It was almost entirely off when suddenly she heard Tony's yell. She looked over just in time to see a grenade go off. That was the last thing she remembered.

As she slowly became conscious again the first thing she felt was a pain in her lower abdomen. Her entire body felt sore and battered As her eyes slowly fluttered open the first thing she saw was Tony's face above her. She then realized that he was applying pressure to her abdomen. She was terrified to know what had happened, but she needed to know. In the distance she could hear the sound of sirens as they approached the scene.

"What...what happened?"

Tony smiled at her though it didn’t touch his worried eyes. Isabella was his life. His reason for being. She made him the man that he was. Far different than the womanizing playboy that he had been. She taught him so much and he loved her more than anything else in the world. “It was a grenade. It went off between us and you took some shrapnel. But you’re going to be fine,” Tony assured her. ‘God let it be so!’ he said to himself. The medics came with a stretcher board. Tony didn’t want to let her go but the 2 men and 1 woman had a job to do and he backed away to let them. They took her vitals, examined the wound, disinfected it and placed a pressure gauze on it. Jessica hobbled up, her Spider Woman suit was in tatters and she held her middle.

“Oh my god! Izzy!” She exclaimed in fright and flung herself down beside her friend. Ronin helped Luke get out of the tangle he was in and Scott held up two of the Kree he could find. He was still large and the aliens struggled in his grasps.

Isabella could see the fear in Tony’s eyes though he tried to smile at her. She began to become fearful herself when To y explained to her what had happened. She wanted to ask him where the shrapnel had hit her exactly but before she could get the words out the medics arrived and began to try and stabilize her and get her on the stretcher. She wanted Tony to remain beside her but he couldn’t. She turned her head slightly to look at Jessica and she forced a little smile.

“I’ll be alright.”

Isabella was taken to SHIELD’s hospital and was taken into surgery. Two hours later a doctor emerged to find Tony. When she found him she introduced herself. “Mr. Stark I’m Dr. Bowers. We’ve stabilized Isabella and stopped the internal bleeding. She is going to be alright.” She paused and then took a breath. “There is something you need to know however. The damage to her abdomen was extensive and extended to her uterus. She...she lost the baby she was carrying.”

Tony hadn’t realized he had sat down until he had to tilt his head up to ask the doctor a question. She seemed to have paused in her report to him and was now looking at him with concern. “Oh..I’m sorry, I missed what you said,” Tony said though as he thought about it, he knew what she said. The doctor thought that as well and only gave him again what she said after telling him that his child had died. Tony had unshed tears in his eyes as he felt a piece of him die inside. Serena was his sun and Isabella his moon. ‘It could have been a boy’ He thought bitterly but then realized what he was doing. ‘Stop this Tony!’ He scolded. He stood as he wiped his eyes and composed himself.

“May I see her?” he asked. “Give her an hour or two then go ahead,” She said.

Two hours later…

Isabella was extremely drowsy and she felt a dull pain in her middle. Tony was there smiling down at her as he sat on the edge of her bed. He had been watching her sleep and trying not to weep about the loss he would now have to give to her. He didn’t want to be the one to tell her but he knew he had to. He had to and be strong for her.

“Hey babe, you’re gunna be fine,” Tony said with his usual smile. It was hard for him not to smile when looking at Her. Even there in the hospital bed she was beautiful. With her dark curls and dark eyes and luscious lips. It was his eyes that always gave him away. He had love in them for her but also something else. Sorrow. Isabella knew all of Tony’s quirks. His habits, his emotions, his body language and his expressions.

Dr. Bowers went on to explain to Tony that she had not removed Isabella's uterus, but it was extremely unlikely that Isabella would be able to conceive again. When he was able to see her, Dr. Bowers led Tony down to Isabella's room and then left him alone with her. Isabella was drowsy from the drugs and opened her eyes and then closed them again several times before she was able to finally keep them open long enough to look at Tony. His voice sounded soothing to her ears, but looking into his eyes she could see that something was wrong. She had known Tony long enough at this point to know when he was trying to hide his emotions. She had a strong feeling she already knew what it was he was going to tell her, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him. Her voice cracked and wavered with her bubbling emotions. "Please don't tell me that...the baby..."

Tony leaned toward her, his eyes watering now. His eyes were extremely sad and his mouth worked to maintain an upbeat expression which was in complete contrast with what he felt. Before Isabella came into his life Tony never would had considered starting a family. Now though, because of her, he wanted as many children as she could have. The Doctor’s words made bile want to rise up in Tony’s throat. But he had to tell her everything.

“We lost the baby and...and you may never be able...to...conceive again,” Tony said. At the last moment he decided to just drop everything in one, quick bomb and get it over with. His heart felt like it was ripping apart. His hand fumbled for hers, his eyes not taking a moment to look away from hers. He tilted his head as he often did and somehow, managed to smile at her. “You’re alive, we’re alive, that’s what matters babe,” He said confidently as he brought his other hand to squeeze hers between both his hands.

Isabella saw Tony’s eyes water and she knew what the answer was. It made her feel sick to her stomach and she began to tremble. At first she thought that perhaps they could just try again in time, but then Tony told her that it was likely she would never be able to conceive again. Those words caused her heart to feel like it had dropped from her chest and her face paled. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she blamed herself for what happened. “I’m sorry Tony. I’m so sorry. I thought I could...I was just trying to... Oh God I’m sorry.”

Tony’s eyes were turning red around the edges and he leaned up and kissed her forehead as he shifted his hand to smooth out her dark, silky hair. “Hey now, none of that. You’ve given me ALOT...Serena is a handful for both of us,” He assured her. This time he did smile as his mind latched onto a pleasant memory of the three of them. Serena was going to be a scientist like he was, he was certain of that. She was already reading far ahead of her young age and she had an analytical mind. “I love you Isabella, you and Serena are my family,” He whispered and kissed her cheek lovingly.

Isabella leaned into Tony and let him comfort her as her tears continued to fall. She tried to stifle them but it was no use. No matter what he said the guilt she felt would always remain with her. If she had stayed at the Tower this wouldn’t have happened. However, she would feel equally guilty if something had happened to Tony. It was a no win situation. She didn’t speak but she just let Tony hold and comfyher.