Blast From The Past

- - - - -

Ana quickly glanced at her reflection on her phone before letting out a nervous breath. She looked at the large building across from her. Rand Enterprises. She listened to Vision and made her way uptown to pay Danny Rand a visit. There were reporters and news vans surrounding the entire building, all trying to get an exclusive with the new addition to the Rand company.

She had dressed out of her pjs into a casual outfit consisting of a floral dress and a cropped denim jacket. She decided she waited long enough before walking up the steps to the front of the building. Her heart hammered violently in her chest and no matter how much times she breathed in and out, it wouldn't stop. She discreetly ducked her head when cameras turned her way, clearing her throat. Pushing through the glass doors, she approached the admin set up, smiling politely at the dark skinned woman behind the desk.

"Welcome to Rand, how may I help you?"

Ana fiddled with her fingers when she perched them up on the wooden surface. "Hey, I'm here to see Danny, uh, Daniel Rand. I'm an old friend." She said.

The woman looked unconvinced and shook her head. There had been a large number of individuals saying the same thing, though they had been official reporters. "I've heard that one before. If your trying to get an interview, you'll have to sign in before I can make a call."

Ana nodded, going with that front. She smacked her lips before sighing. "Okay, how long will it take?" She asked, opening her hands that were on the high desk top.

The woman picked up the phone, raising an eyebrow, signalling she would have to check. She pressed the top blue button before speaking into it, eyeing Ana curiously. Ana puffed out a heavy breath and turned around, waiting.

"I have a young lady saying she'd like to interview Mr. Rand. Mmm-hmm. Okay. I'll send her right up."

Ana faced the woman and smiled when she was handed a keycard lanyard. "Thank you."

"Floor forty-three. You'll have to sign in with Megan. There will be a significant delay before you get what you came here for." She said.

Ana tapped the desk. "That's fine."

Before she could go any further, the front lady sat up and turned, holding her arm out as she called for her. "Uh, excuse me? Who did you say you were representing?"

Ana said the first thing that popped into her head while her hand gripped the glass door handle behind her. "Stark Industries." She replied, and walked through another door before swiping the keycard at the elevator and pressing the floor number. When the elevator doors opened, her eyes widened. She stepped out, looking around at the mass of reporters talking with the two original executives of Rand. Ward and Joy Meachum.

Ana clasped her hands together, swallowing thickly. Her eyes darted around the top floor cautiously, trying to spot the man she had traveled all the way here for. She curled a piece of her loose wavy hair behind her ear and searched for his voice. She found it. She sought him out in the direction of where she could hear him and another woman speaking in his office.

Their meeting had wrapped up and she saw the woman with short black hair wearing a dress of the same colour at the door.

"Door open, door closed?" The woman asked.

"Open." She could hear Danny reply.

Jeri Hogarth glanced at Ana before walking past her to the elevators, typing away at her phone. Ana stepped near the threshold of his office and knocked twice. She let her hand rest on the smooth wall as craned her neck inside, finding him slouched in his seat, chin on his chest as he breathed out in boredom.

Danny was signing stacks of documents when he spoke. "Come in."

"That's not good for your back, Danny."

Ana watched as he lifted his head and sat up to face her. And when he saw her, when he recognised the brunette smiling in front of him, his eyes widened as well as his smile.

"Oh my god, Ana!"

He jumped from his seat and wrapped his arms around her in a second. Ana laughed, stumbling slightly before returning the hug and rubbing his shoulder affectionately. It had been almost seven years since the last time they both saw each other. Daniel was still in a bit of a daze from that day. He had officially got his father's company back and things were starting to take a turn for good. Adding an old friend to that mix simply topped it all. Especially if it was her.

"Oh, Danny. It's been a while." They pulled away and looked each other over. A lot has changed. He wore a grey suit with a white shirt and red tie. Ana smirked lightly when he whistled at her.

"You look great." He smiled, chuckling when she sweetly looked up and gave him a little shrug. "Boy, I've missed you."

"And you have some explaining to do, mister back-from-the-dead." Ana stated, eyebrow raised. He nodded slowly, knowing it was about time he told her the truth. He closed the door for some privacy and guided her to the seat opposite his own, letting her sit. Ana observed as he took his own chair and moved it around the desk, bumping into a few things with a wince, before positioning it next to her. He sat down and shuffled closer, still smiling. It was infectious and Ana found herself mirroring him.

"So, this is gonna take a while to explain. Please, take everything I tell you with an open mind. My friends still think I'm crazy. Even put my in a nut house." Danny chuckled, shrugging at her puzzled look.

Ana crossed her arms and leaned forward, "I have a feeling it won't surprise me much, Danny. I've seen things too."

Danny grinned, sitting up straight. He smoothed down his tie and cleared his throat. "Okay, well, I assume you already saw the news. They all say I've been raised from the dead. Truth is, I've been in a monastery for fifteen years. After the crash, monks found me and took me in. I was the only survivor. My mother and father, the pilots, they were all dead."

Ana frowned as his eyes became glossy. She placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling sympathetically when he placed his own over hers, squeezing it. "I remember you never talked about your parents. I'm sorry to hear why."

Danny nodded. "Thank you. After I was found, they took me into a place called K'un-Lun. It's a capital city of heaven. And while I was there, I trained. I learned how to fight. And the thing about K'un-Lun is that the way only opens once every fifteen years. There was an old sorcerer there — you know like wizards — and he taught me a few things on the side. And the only way I saw you was when I mediated." He explained, staring at her intently for any sign of disbelief. But was surprised when she stayed cool.

Ana furrowed her brows at his last statement. It was the exact same thing she did to see Thanos. "Meditated? So you were there and you weren't at the same time."

Danny nodded, smiling. "Exactly. I wanted to see home. And my link here was through you for some reason. Lei Kung, my master, said I had to stop because you were affecting my training." He shared, cheeks turning pink.

Ana chuckled. "Well, sorry I was distracting."

Danny shrugged nonchalantly. "I enjoyed it. You were my sweet escape from my harsh training. But after you, I had to take a vow of chastity. It was the only way I could become worthy enough to earn the Iron Fist."

Ana held up her hand, pausing him for a moment. "Hold up. Iron Fist? What is that, some sort of trophy?"

Danny laughed lightly, shaking his head. "No. It's a mantle passed down from generation to generation. I allows me to summon the Iron Fist energy force to enhance my, well, fists. My opponents have no chance against me then." He grinned, tilting his head.

Ana blinked. "So you consider yourself a top fighter, huh?" Her lips turned up into a smirk. "I have story of my own to share with you, Danny."

Danny had a look in his eye that told her he was eager to hear. He was still in awe that she was right in front of him. It made everything around him turn out of focus. But that blur soon faded when Megan, the assistant, knocked on the door and cracked it open slightly. She glanced at Danny with an urgent look.

"Mr. Rand, the meeting has already began. You're late." She informed, ushering him up from her place at the office threshold.

Ana was bummed. She wanted to talk with Danny more, catch up and all that. The blond beside her sighed heavily, equally disappointed while throwing her an apologetic look, before smiling with an idea in mind. He grabbed her hand and they both stood.

"Come to my apartment and we can talk some more. It's not that far from here, uh... hold on." He scurried back around his desk and ripped off a piece of paper from a small notebook. He handed it to her and she looked at the address.

"Sure, I'll swing by. Which floor?"

The bashful quirk on his lips was the answer and she laughed lightly.

"Top floor suite. You got it."

- - -

"Tony, I've already told Vision I'm not interested."

Ana had her phone pressed against her ear as she advanced closer to the apartment building Danny lived in. It was around nine in the evening and it already started to get chilly. She regretted not changing out of her dress and now she had to suffer with freezing knees.

"Come on, a couple of awesome people like ourselves wining and dining with some of the most prestigious assholes the government can conjure up. It's a night we'll never forget!" Tony exclaimed on the other side of the line.

Ana had to hold in a chuckle, pushing through the rotating doorway, and entering the building. "Oh yeah? Tell me Tony, do they know you're crashing their dinner party?"

There was a pause. "You got me there. But you know what I say, what's a party without a few uninvited guests?"

Ana entered the elevator and sighed. "Sorry, Tone, I can't. I'd much prefer it if we had lunch tomorrow with Rhodey and Vision instead. You know, just friendly faces." She said, pressing the top button for the top floor.

"Alright fine. I could use a home cooked meal anyways. I'll call you later, little lady." Tony mused before ending the call. Ana shoved her phone into her pocket and looked down, her hair falling in front of her face like a curtain.

The elevator dinged and she looked up as the doors parted, brushing her hair back. Her eyes widened when she saw a gang of Chinese men in suits in the hallway. They were throwing and slashing at Danny with hatchets while two were holding back a young woman.

The two looked back when the elevator stopped and saw Ana. She sighed and removed her jacket, stepping out before the doors closed. She dropped the denim piece on the floor beside her and struck out her hand, nailing one of the men in the chest hard before elbowing the other, setting the woman free from their clutches.

Ana moved the woman, who she came to familiarise as Joy Meachum, out of harms way, setting her down gently beside the elevator and away from the other men as they fought quite ferociously.

"Stay here and don't move." She instructed, watching as Joy nodded frantically.

"Please, help him!" She cried, clutching her hands together as her body shook.

Ana turned around, ducking when a hatchet was throw her way. The weapon embedded itself on the wall behind her and she huffed, running forward. Just as the attacker grabbed his other weapon, Ana intercepted and gripped his wrist, squeezing it until he yelled out. She heard the bones cracking underneath her grip and pulled up her leg, kneeing him the stomach with brute force. She let him crash into the wall behind him and moved to the next gang member trying to catch Danny off guard. A hatchet was thrown at her again and she planned to sidestep away from it but another thug flew back from Danny's punch, slamming into her side. The hatchet sliced a small cut in her side before hitting the wall. Ana winced, ignoring the mild stinging. She head butted the thug that bumped her and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him back and slamming him into the wall. The plaster gave in and dusted around them.

Danny was still trying to figure out how in the hell Ana managed to fight off most of the men as he handled the two that were on him. He heard her groaning in pain as she placed a hand on her side, over the wound. He clenched his teeth together, igniting his fist. Staring at the only man standing with hard eyes, he swung his Iron Fist and nailed him in the chest. The thug flew across the room from the force and collided into the elevator doors, falling unconscious beside Joy.

Joy scrambled to her feet as the elevator dinged, with another batch of Hatchet Men. They saw the woman they were tasked to retrieve and grabbed her, dragging her back inside the elevator. Ana and Danny shared an urgent look before breaking into a run and heading for the elevator. One of the Hatchet Men threw his weapon, aiming at Ana's head.

She ducked as Danny pulled back behind her, eyeing the weapon as it flew past him wide eyed. The thug jumped up and did a fancy twirl, wanting to use his legs to send a kick Ana's way. She merely stepped back beside Danny and he kicked his leg out, knocking the thug down. Ana grabbed his head and sent it hurling into the wall, knocking him out cold.

The elevator doors began to close and the pair approached them before they could. Ana was tired of seeing the hatchets when one out of the four the thugs pulled one free from his holster. He brought it down on Danny's hand that held the doors open.

Danny called to the Iron Fist and the weapon snapped in half when it hit his glowing fist, ricocheting into the emergency panel inside the elevator. The alarms went off and the lights began to flash red. Ana grabbed the one choking Joy and pulled him off her as the doors closed with everyone inside.

While they descended to the ground floor, a fight broke out in the cramped elevator. Ana forced her opponent's arms behind his back and kicked his knees out from under him. She kneed his temple as Danny grabbed his attacker away from Ana, pulling him harshly into the horizontal metal pole, before sending his head into it multiple times.

Joy punched the third thug Ana was trying to get to stop moving in the face, cradling her fist with a wince. Ana smirked and head butted him. She lost her grip on his shoulders and he took a hatchet in hand and began swiping at her and Joy. Ana protected Joy and stood in front of her, doing her best to avoid any more cuts. The thug would have cut her neck open if it wasn't for Danny kicking him in the ribs, the hatchet dug into the wall of the elevator.

The elevator finally stopped at the ground floor and Danny stood in front of the women protectively, catching his breath. One of the downed thugs looked to his team member barely standing.

"Back to the Golden Sands." He spoke in Mandarin.

Ana and Danny both understood and the latter waved his hand at the last Hatchet Man standing.

"Go!" He bellowed.

Ana felt blood drip down the cut on her hip to her leg and she realised her new dress was now stained with crimson red. She huffed and leaned onto the wall as Danny consoled Joy.

"You okay?"

Joy was breathless when she responded. "Yeah. We have to call the police."

Ana spared Danny a look. "I know where they're going."

"So do I." He replied, mouth turning into a frown when he spotted the wound. She gave him a look telling him she was fine.

"That's the second elevator fight I've been in." Ana commented, humming as she looked at the elevator behind her.

Danny took Joy's hand and pulled her and Ana out of the elevator. Ana followed them as they exited the apartment building and into an expensive car. She got into the back seat, enjoying the feel of the cool leather. She then realised she could ruin it by bleeding on it and sent Joy a shrug.

"You got a first aid kit?"

Joy nodded her head and pulled out a small bag from the glove box, zipping it open and grabbing the large adhesive gauze. She shakily handed it to the brunette woman in the back seat of her car and sent her a grateful smile as Danny began driving downtown.

"Thank you for saving me." She said softly. Joy sent Danny a smile also. "You too."

Ana used her hand to wipe the blood away from the cut before planting the gauze on top of it. She would patch it up better later. A small cloth was set in her lap and she smiled in thanks towards Joy, wiping her hands.

"No thanks necessary." Ana replied.

Danny had to pause at a red light and turned in his seat to look at his old flame. "You were incredible. How'd you learn to fight like that?" He asked.

"That's a story for another time."

"What happened to you?"

"What happened to you?"

Ana looked at the Asian woman wearing a white tracksuit across from her when she rose an eyebrow Danny's way. She had a blood stain on her top Danny was referencing to but it was mostly covered by her hair. Joy was beside Ana as she looked around the empty dojo. It had yellow walls with wooden equipment set up against them along with mats on the floors. The windows showed how dark it had gotten, the sky almost pitch black.

"That's why I'm here. Hey can you, uh... Can you keep an eye on Joy for me?" Danny asked, walking further inside. He approached the windows, looking out of them to make sure they weren't followed. His eyes brushed through the streets, frowning.

"Wasn't he stalking you?" Colleen questioned Joy after she shut the doors.

"It was a misunderstanding." Joy said, still reeling from attack.

"Right. I guess being a millionaire covers a multitude of sins." Colleen commented. She glanced at Ana for a second before facing Danny.

"Billionaire." He corrected. Ana rolled her eyes.

Ana caught Colleen's gaze. "Ana." She shortly introduced. "What do you know about the Golden Sands?" She asked.

"Colleen." The dojo owner mimicked. "I don't know. There's a bunch of Chinese restaurants with that name." She answered, looking down briefly.

"Any of them attached to hatchet-wielding criminals?" Joy questioned, stressing the point they had trouble.

"You know 'em?" Danny asked when he saw recognition flash across Colleen' face.

"Triads. Dangerous." She said.

Ana scoffed lightly. "Sounds right."

Colleen picked up her phone from the mat next to her and typed away. She handed it over to Ana when her search was complete. "This is the Golden Sands you're looking for." She explained as Ana stared at the picture of a restaurant. Danny came up beside her and looked over her shoulder at the phone as Colleen further added. "It's a front for the Yangshi Gongsi, the Yang Clan Company."

"I need to have a word with them." Danny stated, already walking to the door. Ana quickly gave Colleen her phone back and followed.