Meeting In Recovery

It took the doctors several hours of surgery to repair his leg, using pins and needles to set the bone in place so that it could heal. When the surgery was over, Tony Stark was given his own room which was fitting considering that he owned the hospital in question. The doctors however didn't seem to care as they refused to allow him guests or any toys to work on when he was recovering. Despite his protest, Tony didn't fight his doctors and was too groggy from the pain medication he was on to protest too much. He was sitting there, reading the news on a tablet when someone walked into the room.

"I thought you weren't allowed to use electronics?" the man called out.

"It's just a tablet," Tony replied, "Even I can only do so much with it."

"That's good," Fury said as he came into view, "The last thing I want you to do is hack into my helli-carrier again."

"Been there, done that." Stark answered, "You have no secrets from me."

"You'd be surprised," Nick said, taking a seat next to Stark's bed, "My secrets have secrets."

"I knew it." Tony said, smiling as he put the tablet down.

"I've been hearing a lot of things about your fight with Peter," Nick said as he made himself comfortable. "Some that I am finding very disturbing."

"I lost my temper," Tony admitted.

"Lost your temper?" Nick repeated, "Is that what you call it? My agents are reporting that Parker was barely conscious when he was carried out of the Bugle. You're lucky no one was taking pictures or video when that happened, everyone was too busy taking cover or running for their lives."

"It won't happen again." Tony said, trying to convince himself as well.

"I think Magneto made sure of that," Fury said, gesturing to the leg. "You're going to be out of commission for at least a few weeks."

"I can work around this," Tony said, confident in his abilities. "I can have something whipped up to support this in a week, tops."

"I appreciate your dedication, but you need to cool your jets." Nick continued, "The fight with the mutants has been temporarily called off. They're currently out of our jurisdiction."

"They are," Tony said thinking about it, "Where did they go?"

"To visit the biggest superpower that didn't sign those dreadful accords," A voice called out. The man walking in was used to being in a hospital but it was no longer his profession. He was now a master of the mystical arts.

"Stephen Strange," Fury said as he sat up in his chair.

"That's Doctor Strange," the Sorcerer Supreme said as he strolled into the room.

"This is unexpected." Tony added.

"So was your attack on the mutants," Doctor Strange countered, walking over to Tony's bedside. "How are you feeling, Mr. Stark?"

"I'll live," Stark said, trying to act cool. "Anything you can do with your mojo to speed things up here?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that," Strange answered, grinning. "This isn't a video game. Real wounds take time to heal."

"You hands look pretty good to me." Fury countered.

"Those took years to repair," Strange confessed, "And they're still not fully healed yet, and they may never be."

"Sorry to hear that," Stark said, looking back at the Sorcerer Supreme. "How do you know where the mutants are?"

"Because they're staying at one of the mystical sanctums," Stephen told him, "In the only superpower that didn't sign those accords."

"China," Fury said, as he grew a brain. "They're in Hong Kong."

"Wong is beside himself," Strange confirmed, "Never has he ever had such a dedicated class of students before, and all so eager to learn."

"Don't they have enough powers?" Stark dryly asked.

"Debatable," Strange replied as he checked Stark's charts. "But one could argue that an education in the mystic arts could help teach some of these mutants how to control their powers a lot more than anyone else could. And I'm currently on your side, for now."

"For now?" Fury repeated.

"I'll be honest gentlemen," Strange said, not flinching once. "Your current conduct with the mutants and especially Mr. Parker has upset me greatly. That young man is lucky to be alive."

"You've seen him?" Fury asked.

"I have," Strange confirmed, "He's been in a coma since the incident. I get you're disappointed he jumped ship, but your response was childish and dangerous."

"I'm sorry," Stark said, as he understood and agreed with the sorcerer.

"That's a start," Doctor Strange said as he put the charts back. "You need to call off this witch hunt. We both know there are bigger threats out there, and that this kind of division is only going hand him victory on a silver platter. Get your act together gentlemen, because we cannot afford to divide any further than we already have. The Earth cannot afford it either. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal," Fury replied.

"Excellent," Strange said as he used his ring to form a portal in the middle of Stark's room. "I'll show myself out."

As he walked through the portal, both Stark and Fury watched as the portal disappeared as soon as the Sorcerer has stepped through it. They looked back at one another, unsure what to say about what had just happened.

"Is he right?" Stark asked, "Have we been so consumed with fighting one another that the real enemy might break us in half like a twig?"

"Not on my watch," Fury declared, "Not while I still breathe."

"What does he know that we don't?" Tony then inquired.

"A lot," Fury replied, "You concentrate on getting better, I'll take care of the rest of the team."

"Are we getting the band back together?" Tony said, smiling.

"I don't like that movie." Fury replied as he started to leave the room.

"Liar!" Stark called out, "Everybody loves that movie!"

Fury said nothing, as he left the room on a mission to save the world from not only the enemy, but themselves.