Sir, I believe you have a guest in the lift." JARVIS voice suddenly was heard in the room.

"What?" The billionaire exclaimed surprised. Then a genuine smile lit his face, before changing
into a mischievous grim "Ohh is it honey bear? Tell him this a Superhero-only party, boring
military types have to wait outside."

"I'm afraid it's not Colonel Rhodes, sir. " The AI continued, disembodied voice sounding
curiously light. "Ms Serena Silver has just entered the lift."

Tony inhaled half of his glass of scotch before getting into a coughing fit that had Steve
awkwardly patting him on his back and half of the other Avengers concerned about his health.

In a second the inventor had set his glass on the low table with a loud clank, raised from the
couch and were halfway to the elevator before just as suddenly stopping short and firing
dozens of questions to his AI.

"Serena? She's here? According to her agenda she's supposed to be in France! Safe! Was she
here during the attack? Was she in Manhattan? Is she hurt?"

"Ms Silver landed on the tower's helipad exactly 1 minute and 58 seconds ago and is short of
12 seconds from arriving in the lift, sir. She as well as her pilot seem unharmed and the
helicopter flight charter confirms that the location of the flight takeoff was indeed Paris, sir."

"She just landed? Oh thanks Einstein she wasn't here. I didn't even consid-." "Wait, you let a
helicopter land here without my permission?"

"Why sir, no. I believe I allowed Ms Silver's personal helicopter safely landing. Shouldn't I have?"

"No! No, no, of course you should have let her land." " I- Did she- JARVIS do you think the call r-
"

The ping that accompanied the elevator arrival silenced the man and startled him into staring at
the woman that came out of it, the woman who was holding the elevator's door frame as if
needing some support to stay vertical, the woman who was staring at him with pain filled
dazzling green eyes.

"Anthony. Meu Deus , Anthony. Comment allez-vous? Es-tu blessé?"

"I'm not hurt! I'm not, please calm down Serena. I'm fine."

"You're fine. You're fine?! God, no. No, I can't."

"Serena? Are you hurt?"

"You called me, Anthony."

"Oh. I did. I'm sorry, I-"

"No! You do not get to say sorry. I'm- You called me, Anthony, when you had a missile on your
back and where flying to your probable death. You- And I- I didn't pick it up."

"No, Serena. Please don't cry, please. I should have called, after- I was glad you didn't answer. If
I had- It has incredibly selfish of me. I'm sor-"

"You'll not apologize. I was in a board meeting, my cellphone had stayed with my secretary and
I doubt she even saw the call. Not with what I happening on the TV."" When she marched into
the closed board room and turned on the television, when I saw