MS3T2 A Missing Avenger (March 2001)

Tony smiled as he shifted to touch Isabella. His intention was to put her in the mood quickly so they could have a morning quickie and get their day started. Unfortunately all his hand felt was a cold, empty space on the sheets as if Isabella had not been there for some time. he sat up and yawned. Her robe was still there on the wall and her slippers. She must either be in the bathroom or decided to, what, take a dip in the pool or hot tub? Well, she could do what she wanted. He yawned again and got into his robe and slippers then headed out to get some coffee.

Steve and Kate were already up. "Morning," they said to him. Tony just yawned and nodded as he poured himself a fresh cup. He sat at the table and opened up the paper and began to read. "No Isabella?" Kate asked. Tony shifted the paper to look at them. "She's somewhere around here. It is a big tower," He said.

Logan held Natalya's sides to balance her as she rolled her hips. They were in the hot tub having sex and he was about to move when she told him not to. She moaned as she orgasmed and Logan grinned. The mood had just struck them and no one ever came down here this early. He felt her body shudder as a few last spasms of pleasure rocked her and eventually they subsided. He let her down and she folded her bathing suit back over her middle where it had been shifted out of the way to allow Logan access to her center. They dried off and came up to get some coffee and something to eat. Everyone was there except Isabella. At the same time Sarah came with a very unhappy Serena.

"I don't know Mr. Stark. Since 3 am this morning, Serena's just been quite unhappy," She said as she too came to the table. "Was Isabella down there Logan?" Tony asked. Logan shook his head. "Nope," He said simply as he got Natalya and himself some coffee. "Hmm, well Sarah, I don't know where she is. Here, let me take her," Tony said and folded the paper up and set it on the table. Sarah yawned tiredly as she handed over Serena. "Go get some sleep Sarah, I've got her," He said and stood up. "Lets go find mommy ok?" He said as he kissed a very unhappy Serena.

After a cursory look in the bathroom he did not find Isabella. He tried her on his wrist comm and she did not answer. "Jarvis, where is Isabella?" He asked finally. "Mrs. Stark is in your bedroom sir," Jarvis said. "Uh...no she's not," Tony said annoyed and then shook his head. "Jarvis, switch to infrared and scan for...people," He said. Obviously her wrist comm was somewhere in their bed. She must have...taken it off? He wondered. "There are 7 heat signatures in the tower sir,' Jarvis said. "Well there should be 8, scan again," Tony asked and again the number was 7. He called security and they told him that she had not come down there. Tony began to get worried and he came out to the kitchen.

"Ok, I think we have a problem. I can't find Isabella anywhere and security has not seen her. Everyone, we need to do a search of the tower!" Tony said worriedly.

The Tower was quite large so the team split up and each took a set of floors to search. Security was called in to help as well, but after searching nearly all day she had not been found. Kate and Steve reviewed security footage from the elevator and front entrance to the Tower for the entire night, but there was absolutely no sign of her. 

They came back up to the living level and Tony would just be able to tell from the looks on their faces that they had come up empty handed. Kate had never seen Tony as worried as he was then and she went to go make him some tea.

"There must be some explanation," Natalya said. "Could she really have just disappeared into thin air?"

Tony gripped Isabella's wrist comm in his hand. She wasn't IN the tower and she had not LEFT the tower. "Using the law of probabilities, when no other solution presents itself, whatever's left, regardless of how improbable it may be, is worth looking into. "Someone took her. Who do we know that could just come in and take someone out? I know Nightcrawler, an X-Men could do something like that? Ghost but he's still in prison," Tony said. "Anyone else have any ideas?" He asked. "What about Dr. Doom?" Steve asked. "There's one possibility but what would he want with Isabella?" Tony asked. "And if he did take her, he'd ask me to do something and hold her hostage. It makes no sense to just take her without wanting something in return," Tony said. "Any ideas, no matter how crazy," Tony said.

Kate knew that Tony was particular about his tea and usually only let Isabella make it for him, but she was going to try at least. People could say what they wanted about Tony, but no one could deny that he loved his wife more than anything on this earth. They were partners...they balanced each other out. Tony almost looked...lost without her. 

Kate thought about who might be able to get into the Tower to take Isabella and one terrifying thought popped into her head. "Loki..."

Tony thought about Loki but dismissed the idea. But now...the only thing would be to figure out why? "But why would he do this? Without gloating or saying anything? Why her? Why not just take me?" Tony wondered. "His brother...Thor. Can we contact him?" Logan asked. "I don't know," Tony replied. "I'm going to call Nick,": Tony said which was very much out of character for him. He hated Nick Fury.

After a brief conversation he came back. Everyone was dressed and Sarah was playing with Serena in the living room. Tony watched them for a moment then turned back to the others. "I'm going to go see Dr. Strange," he finally said.

Kate felt helpless. She wanted to do something more to help, but she didn't know what to do. She had a difficult time just sitting and so she paced anxiously around while Tony was talking to Nick Fury. When Tony finally came back over looked over at him, wondering what he was going to say. Kate nodded a little when Tony announced he was going to see Dr. Strange. 

"Steve and I will come with you," she told him. She didn't want him going alone.

Kate felt helpless. She wanted to do something more to help, but she didn't know what to do. She had a difficult time just sitting and so she paced anxiously around while Tony was talking to Nick Fury. When Tony finally came back over looked over at him, wondering what he was going to say. Kate nodded a little when Tony announced he was going to see Dr. Strange. 

"Steve and I will come with you," she told him. She didn't want him going alone.

Kate felt helpless. She wanted to do something more to help, but she didn't know what to do. She had a difficult time just sitting and so she paced anxiously around while Tony was talking to Nick Fury. When Tony finally came back over looked over at him, wondering what he was going to say. Kate nodded a little when Tony announced he was going to see Dr. Strange. 

"Steve and I will come with you," she told him. She didn't want him going alone.