76. Homecoming Amidst Chaos

With a brilliant flash of white light, John appeared in his room at Stark Tower. The faint hum of the building's systems filled the air, and the familiar sleek walls greeted him like an old friend.

He exhaled sharply, feeling the solid ground beneath his feet.

"Finally... I'm back."

John scanned his room. Nothing seemed out of place — his bed was neatly made, his desk cluttered with scattered notebooks and tech devices.

"Jarvis?" John called out.

Silence.

"Jarvis!" he repeated, louder this time.

Still nothing.

His heart quickened.

"That's weird... Jarvis always responds."

John reached for his communicator on the nightstand and switched it on. Static buzzed for a moment before a news broadcast flickered on the screen.

> "Breaking News: The Avengers remain fugitives after the recent events that unfolded in Johannesburg. Authorities are continuing their search for Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and their known associates. Citizens are advised to remain cautious..."

John's breath caught in his throat.

"What the hell...?"

The Avengers — wanted? Johannesburg? His mind raced, piecing together what little he remembered about the Avengers: Age of Ultron timeline.

"Ultron..."

He bolted out of his room, heading straight for the tower's lounge — the very place where, in the movie, Ultron had first confronted the Avengers.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and John stepped into the bar.

It was spotless. Not a single chair overturned. No shattered glass. No scorch marks or dents on the walls.

"This isn't right…"

John walked deeper into the room, his footsteps echoing faintly against the marble floor. His eyes scanned every corner — the shelves were neatly stocked, glasses arranged perfectly. The place looked untouched, like nothing had ever happened here.

"This doesn't make sense. Ultron should've wrecked this place... So what the hell happened?"

Something was off.

John clenched his fists, trying to calm himself.

"Alright... first things first — I need to find Tony."

---

On his way to the basement, John heard hurried footsteps echoing from around the corner.

Turning his head, he saw Pepper Potts walking toward him, her face pale and drawn. She looked... exhausted.

"Pepper?" John called out.

She froze in place, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"John?" Her voice trembled slightly as she took a hesitant step forward. "Is that really you?"

"Yeah…" John nodded, giving her a small smile.

Pepper let out a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Without warning, she rushed forward and pulled John into a tight embrace.

"You're back… you're actually back…" she whispered, her voice breaking.

John felt her fingers grip the back of his shirt tightly, as if she feared he might disappear again.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, pulling back slightly. "Do you have any idea what's happened?"

John frowned. "I just got back... what's going on?"

Pepper sighed, running a hand through her hair. Her usually calm and composed demeanor seemed shaken.

"You've been gone for three months," she said firmly. "Three months, John. Tony's been—"

Her voice caught, and she turned away briefly to collect herself.

"He's been searching for you... nonstop," she continued. "He traveled across the world, used every resource he had — but nothing. He thought you were..."

She trailed off, unable to finish.

John swallowed hard.

"...Dead?" he finished quietly.

Pepper gave a small nod. "Yeah."

For a moment, they stood in silence.

"Pepper… what happened?" John finally asked. "What's been going on?"

Pepper took a deep breath, as if bracing herself.

"A lot happened in these three months," she said. "Captain America discovered Hydra was still operating within S.H.I.E.L.D. — hidden agents, sleeper cells... everything. They tried to root them out, but things escalated. Steve and Tony brought the Avengers together to wipe Hydra out completely. But then..."

She paused, her eyes clouding with painful memories.

"Then Ultron happened," she said grimly.

John's stomach twisted. "Ultron..."

"Yeah," Pepper muttered bitterly. "Tony was desperate. After everything Hydra had done, he wanted to create something powerful enough to protect humanity — something that would make sure nothing like that could ever happen again. So he created Ultron... or at least, tried to."

"...But it backfired," John murmured.

Pepper nodded.

"Ultron went rogue," she continued. "He's been wreaking havoc ever since. Tony... he blames himself for all of this. And with you missing... he was in a really dark place, John."

Hearing that made John's chest tighten.

"...Where is he now?"

"He's at Clint's farmhouse," Pepper replied. "Steve, Natasha... they're all there. Trying to regroup. Trying to figure out how to fix this mess."

John clenched his fists.

"I need to see him."

"Please," Pepper said softly. "He needs you."

---

John made his way to the basement — Tony's private storage area. Rows of high-tech armor stood like silent sentinels, their metallic surfaces gleaming faintly under the dim lights.

John walked over to a familiar suit — a sleek, dark outfit Tony had customized for him. He grabbed it, feeling a strange comfort in its familiar weight. The material was light yet durable, designed for speed and agility rather than brute force.

After changing into his suit, John locked onto Tony's coordinates after activating a positioning rune, closed his eyes, and focused. The familiar warmth of energy coursed through him, wrapping his body in a protective layer of spatial energy.

Then — snap.

---

The air shifted as John materialized in the middle of a peaceful clearing surrounded by trees. He was standing just outside a cozy farmhouse — Clint Barton's home. The lights inside flickered warmly, and faint laughter drifted through the walls.

"They're here..."

He stepped closer, cautiously approaching the front door.

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

Steve Rogers emerged first, holding a glass of water. His sharp eyes instantly locked onto John. His body tensed, and his grip on the glass tightened.

"Who are you?" Steve demanded. Suddenly seeing an intruder, Cap became alert, but after a moment, he recognized him.

"Arcanist...?" But even if he recognized him, that didn't mean he let his guard down.

"Wait… that's—" Natasha's voice came from behind Steve, her hand already resting on a concealed weapon.

Clint appeared next, stepping protectively in front of his wife and kids. Even Fury shifted his gaze to John with suspicion.

The air turned heavy — everyone poised for a fight.

Then Tony stepped into view.

His hair was unkempt, dark circles hung under his eyes, and his face looked haggard and weary.

When Tony's eyes fell on John, they widened in disbelief.

"John...?" Tony whispered.

Before anyone could react, Tony strode forward.

"Tony, wait—" Steve warned, but Tony ignored him.

"John!" Tony shouted.

Without a second thought, Tony pulled John into a tight hug — strong, desperate, and unrelenting.

"Where the hell have you been?" Tony's voice cracked. "Three months... three months you were gone! I thought— I thought you were dead!"

John felt Tony's grip tighten.

"...Sorry," John muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You idiot," Tony muttered. His voice wavered with barely contained emotion. "Don't you ever pull that crap again… You hear me?"

John let out a shaky breath.

"Yeah…" he said quietly. "I hear you."

For a moment, no one else spoke. The Avengers — once tense and ready for a fight — stood in silent shock, watching Tony hold on to John like a lifeline.

Even Clint relaxed, his protective stance fading as he sighed deeply.

John closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of Tony's embrace. For the first time since stepping back into this chaotic world, he finally felt grounded.

"I'm back... and this time, I won't disappear again."