A couple weeks into the new year everybody gathers again at Stark Tower. There's some new additions to the core group, Matthew Murdock/Daredevil, Dr. Stephen Strange, and Weasel as representative of the mercs still in the city.

"How are you on ammunition?"

"Good, the underground has been able to get supplies into various areas." Weasel says. "Not to be nosy, but what about you and the police departments? I've got some friends who either work or own gun shops and they're seeing problems getting in some ammo types."

"Give me a list and I'll look into it." Coulson says. "I haven't heard any problems with suppliers but then we're ordering through a government agency and not a private party. I know the military wasn't having any trouble with ammunition, dumbass realized other countries might be a little upset with his attacking them and wanted to make sure he was protected by the military."

"Thank you for putting up the growing area, it's nice to get fresh fruit and vegetables in the winter, the stores have been. . .lacking this winter." Matthew says.

"Yes, Pepper and Steve told me it was nearly impossible to find some things in the stores. I haven't heard any problems with food services not being able to get in fruits and veggies."

"They don't buy a lot fresh, most of it is frozen or canned." Pepper says. She makes a note on her PADD. "I'll check with them though."

"And see if Malibu is having any problems." Pepper nods.

"Is the city still getting in the same supplies for the community gardens?" Dr. Strange asks.

"Yes, and the independent groups got hints to get in extra seeds because they might not be able to get them." Matthew says. "Is anybody growing heirloom varieties for seeds?"

"Not here." Pepper says. "But I have several friends who garden and are setting up seed banks for stuff like tomatoes and potatoes." Some people look at her.

"Hybrid tomatoes. . .what you find on the shelves aren't self-reproducing. You can't save the seeds and grow your own. Most serious home gardeners grow heirloom varieties. There's groups online that trade the seeds they save from them."

"I think I remember hearing somewhere that there's a plant that cannot pollinate itself, man has to do it for them."

"Yes, I think I remember hearing it too but I can't think of what it is right offhand." Phil says, he makes a note to have his researchers check into that. "Botanists?"

"We have several in Malibu but we probably should hire more." Tony says. Pepper makes a note of it.

"Should I look at people who have degrees in agriculture too?" Pepper asks once the others have left. Tony nods.

"Especially if we're going to do like the other dimensions and have massive offworld harvests.Any news on schools reopening?"

"Not yet, some people want to keep the schools closed. The epidemic was a good thing, so many kids without parents can be put to work sixteen hours a day as slave labor because they don't have parents anymore who would stop them. And yes, somebody actually said that in congress. Moron didn't realize somebody was taping it."

"Christ." Pepper moans.

"Yes, the asshole was nearly lynched and they're investigating all his dealings to make sure kids aren't being abused that way. He's blubbering that he didn't mean it .. .he's sure they were just talking."

"Nobody talks like that if they don't mean it."

"Exactly. He'll be facing charges of using his influence and child endangerment if it turns out to be true. There's already trying to put together a special election in his district to get him out of office."

"Assuming somebody doesn't shoot him first." Bobbi mutters as she walks through. "We just got a whiny demand from some asshole in congress demanding to make Stark stop ordering so many supplies. I told the miserable fool to mind his own business and hung up on his spluttering." Tony smirks at her.

"More likely whining because we weren't buying from Him." Pepper snorts.

"Are you fucking stupid?" The new president says icily as he looks at the whining man in front of him. "What damn business is it of yours what Stark buys?"

"But it doesn't seem right." He whines. "They brought factories and are getting in all these supplies."

"They also have several hundred employees in New York alone. And their factories are shipping to us too."

"Weellllllll yeeeesssss," he finally has to admit. "But they have to be the cause of all the empty shelves."

"Grow the fuck up you stupid little sack of shit. You know damn good and well his ordering stuff is not the cause of empty store shelves."

"Weeellllll noooooo," he finally whines. "Damn right no, it's the fault of our former dumbass in chief who wanted a way to punish people for not bowing, scraping, and kissing his ass. . .may he rot in hell. People are still dying from the disease his pet mad scientists created. And more than one factory is making the same product."

He walks off sulking and the president sighs, wondering how the hell Larry had stacked the deck to be sure he was surrounded by people just as stupid as he was. The HYDRA agent snickers as he hears him muttering in the oval office before tapping on the door and bringing in reports.

"Just give me an overview, I'll look them over later."

"We're still no closer to reopening the schools than we were. The department of education is requesting massive budget increases so students and teachers have all the supplies they need. A good chunk of congress is whining about that, more are still blustering that there has to have been a reason for the former president to have the schools shut down. . .a good reason. They just haven't found it yet." The president rolls his eyes.

"Congress want to start rationing certain products. They claim it will help with the empty spots on store shelves." He's handed the sheet and the President reads it. "Hell no, I recognize who makes most of this. . .he just wants to hold stuff back to make more money."

"Indeed. From my research into wartime rationing, those type of products would not have been made at all."

"Yep, his plants would have been turned into making something else. I'm surprised nobody has started talking about victory gardens."

"Not much room for gardens in the cities."

"And the gardens they do have are feeding a lot of people, they wouldn't have extra food to can for the winter. Year-round growing buildings would be a better bet."

"People are used to buying it as needed, not stringing up peppers and onions on line to dry for the winter in an attic or root cellar."

"And there's not the whole 'we're doing without so our boys can have what they need' mindset during the war. We're doing without because the former president was a fool who wanted to hurt everybody who didn't agree with his bigoted viewpoint."

"Which is exactly why rationing won't work now."

In New York May takes a day off to do a little window shopping, something she used to do when Peter was younger. Now she's got the money to buy whatever she wants but looking at store windows is better. She doesn't ned all these new fangled doodads, though she will admit to liking the flat screen tv, dvd player, and dvds that appeared in the house when they returned. Taking the subway to their exit, she walks the couple blocks to the house, waving at Frank's wife and daughter who are outside.

Back at the house she puts one of the frozen casseroles in the oven and starts making the rest of dinner, Peter kissing her temple when he comes home and heads to the bathroom.

"How was Stark?"

"Insane, work was quiet but the story quickly spread that some moron in Congress wants the schools to stay shut, the epidemic was a good thing. This way orphans can be slave labor and work sixteeen hours a day." May just looks at him. "Nobody would care because they don't have parents anymore. And before you say anything, yes it's true. The moron said it while they had camera crews taping congress."

"Christ." May moans, looking up at the ceiling. "Yes, so everybody was up in arms at Stark about that. The moron who said it said nobody's actually going to be doing it, but all his associates are being looked at anyway. Meanwhile, the departmen of education wants more money so when schools do open, they have supplies for both students and teachers. It's one thing for Americans to know their schools are underfunded, it's another thing for the rest of the world to know it. Rumor is it somebody wants to start rationing supplies so shelves don't have empty spots but they wanted high-end stuff rationed. . .no doubt to up the prices on it."

"People wouldn't ration today like they did during the war. Back then we did it so our boys overseas would have everything they needed."

"Look this over? I was talking to Frank, with all the empty homes we've got room for gardens." Peter hands his aunt a folder.

"That would be nice. . ." May looks over the plans. Meanwhile in their house Frank and his wife are doing the same.

Pepper finally tracks down Tony a few days later, finding him working on something in a room. "Tony, we have a meeting with somebody from the government. He burst in and refuses to leave until you talk to him."

"Is it the president or anybody important?"

"Nope."

"Have security take him off and send him back to DC with a foot up his ass and a bug in his ear." Pepper smirks and does just that.

"How dare you fly to New York demanding an accounting of everything he's purchased over the last few years." The president bellows at the blubbering fool in front of him who was whining that he has to send in the national guard to hurt Stark. "Get the hell over your foolishness."

"But he has to be the reason there are so many empty spots on store shelves." He wails. "He has to be."

"He is not and you know it you stupid little sack of shit. Now grow the hell up."

"But he wouldn't even talk to me."

"He's in charge of his companies, he doesn't have to listen to a whiny little fool like you. Now grow the fuck up and leave him alone or I'll let them shoot you next time you bother them."

The moron gulps, finally realizing he might have overstepped his authority a teensy weensy little bit. "Now get the fuck out of my office and go do something useful"

His fellow representatives laugh at him when he finally joins them. "We told you to leave Stark the hell alone moron. What the fuck did you think you'd do, find him rubbing his hands together like a miser as he sits on piles of supplies? And you becoming a big fat fucking hero by taking it away from him?"

"But there's empty spots on shelves." He wails.

"And factories are working overtime with short crews to try to make as much as they can." One of his coworkers snaps. "I know. . .I actually do what I was elected to do and check on stuff like that for my constituents. I know what spots are sitting empty on shelves. And I know it's not shit people need. And it's not among the supplies Stark has been purchasing."

"But he had me thrown out of his building." he whines.

"I would have too, you had no damn business bothering him." Somebody else snorts. "New York was one of the areas that old bastard targeted specifically, he's one of the people trying to keep the damn city running and making sure everybody has food, water, shelter, and jobs."

"But what about the mayor? He should be doing that. . .not Stark." He wails.

"Their former mayor ran off with his tail between his legs when losing most of his 'advisors' meant he'd have to do the job himself instead of shoving it off on somebody else. After he tried spreading rumors the head of SHIELD was embezzling money from the city. Little bastard was embezzling money from the city, he'd stolen millions of dollars. They froze his bank account and had him arrested when he came whining back demanding to know what they thought they were doing keeping him from his money. They owed that to him for making him work. Little asshole's rotting in state prison working the same sixteen hours a day moron over there wanted orphans to work to repay all the money he stole. SHIELD and Stark are running the city with the governor's blessing, they're actually helping the citizens."

"You gotta arrest them. . .that's treason." he bleats.

"No it's not asswipe, the former asshat in chief put in a law allowing them to declare martial law because he wanted them as his own private army." Somebody else snorts.

"You mean everything they're doing is legal?" he yelps.

"Yes moron."

"And the president isn't trying to arrest them?"

"He's happy somebody with some damn brains is in control, they're working with him and he can turn his attention to other areas that aren't as well off."

"B. . .bu. . .but he opened that place in Vegas. It's taking money from my constituents.

"You mean the hydroponics facility that's growing fresh fruits and vegetables that can't be grown in the desert? The same fresh fruit and vegetables that weren't on the shelves this winter thanks to your constituents not shipping them out of state? Because you had a shit fit and passed a law banning shipments out of state? Bankrupting some of the people you swore you were trying to protect?"

"But I didn't know they made most of their money shipping out of state." He wails. "I thought it would be more food for my constituents." he wails.

"Hey moron, isn't Vegas a little out of your area? They ain't your constituents." Somebody yells from across the room.

"Oh please, this old fool thinks everybody in the damn country should be his constituents. As long as they're doing something for him and not expecting him to do something for them." another man snorts. "Now sit the fuck down, shut the fuck up, and do your damn job. Before sombody shoots you for your stupidity."

"No grand state funeral if that happens. Somebody else smirks.

"But they took the job from locals." he wails.

"Moron, he employs locals to work there. The state gave the option to local companies first but they didn't want to do it because they didn't think it would make money, until they saw money coming in hand over fist and decided . .. 'I guess we can do it after all' and tried taking the business from him."

"But what about the governor? He can't be happy to have one of his cities under foreign control." he wails. "No matter what the president says."

"He's happy to have people with some damn sense working with him. Too bad your governor can't say the same thing about you!" Somebody sneers. Dumbass runs off wailing. . .why is everybody being so

mean to him.

"Goddamn fool." Somebody snorts. "Okay, now that the entertainment is over, back to work. As soon as we get done here, we've all got to head back home and do the same thing there." The others nod and go back to what they'd been working on before he'd interrupted.

A man holds up a hand to the HYDRA agent sitting at the desk outside the oval office and walks to the door. "Sir, that fool Baxter Stockhaven the third. . ." He says the last word in mocking tones since the old fool had been so proud of his heritage. "Just hopped a plane to New York. We all know why he's going there."

There's silence in the oval office for a long second then the president starts cussing. The HYDRA agent ducks his head to hide the big smile. The other man doesn't even bother. "Coulson, yes it's me. He's on his way back. This time shoot the damn fool."

In his office Phil sighs. "He picked a bad time to come whining to Stark, a bad storm is going to be hitting the area in the next couple of days. Everybody is getting in supplies before we're blown in."

The President sighs. "Send him back then, you shouldn't have to feed and house that fool."

Pepper puts down the phone. "Tony, dumbass is on his way back. The President says . . .this time shoot him. And no, not with a real bullet." She says at his look.

Tony looks out the window of Stark Tower at the rapidly emptying streets a day later. The storm is due to blow in later that night and everybody who doesn't actually live in the tower has already left.

"JARVIS, is everybody gone except for us?"

"Yes sir, the maintenance robots are checking to make sure everything that does not *need* to be on is shut down."

"How are we on food?"

"Unless we are snowed in for six months we will not run out of food."

"If it's going to storm that long we won't be staying here." Tony snorts. "Did you contact Agent?"

"Yes, he and the others are settled in for the storm. He says 'that old fool was sent back to DC under guard so we don't have to feed and house his stupid ass. The president has already promised to put the fool away for the rest of ours sanity. He's obviously too damn stupid to live because he won't stop bothering you."

The man in question wails as he's tossed in a jail cell. The president scowls at him from the other side. "What part of leave him alone were you too stupid to understand?"

"But he's doing things." the moron in the cell whines. "Things . . .things like. . ."

"Feeding and clothing his employees, making sure citizens of new york city have some fresh fruit and vegetable during the winter? Making sure citizens can walk the streets of his city without being afraid? That sort of stuff?" The president smiles nastily.

"Yes. . .I . . .I mean no. He . . .he's trying to take over the country. New York is just his first step."

"Bullshit." The president snorts as he walks off.

"But they shot me." he wails as the president and secret service agents walk off. "Me! In the ass with a rubber bullet." He screams, stomping his feet and wincing.

"Too bad they didn't shoot you in the head. With a real bullet." The president doesn't even bother to look back over his shoulder at him. He walks away, the man staring at them in disbelief that they'd actually leave him in jail before setting up a howl.

"How long do you want us to leave him in there?"

"At least three days, just put trays of food through the slot. . .the fool will eat when he's hungry enough. He's too stupid to make a real hunger strike."