Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Chapter One: Back to the Beginning

From Plan A to Plan Z

“Take me back to the beginning.”

The world is dying around him.

Tony’s hand is clasped tightly around the time stone which is burning through the armour…

And there is so much pain.

Too much pain.

He closes his eyes and screams…

…he opens his eyes to a wide blue sky,

gasping for breath,

hand clawing at –

His shirt.

Shirt.

And normal body armour already pierced through with shrapnel.

Blood against his fingertips.

He gives a soundless hysterical laugh.

He’s back at the beginning.

Plan A

Tony picked up the letter from Steve – no; Rogers. He should call him Rogers.

He read it again.

He knew the letter was well-meant, (Rogers was always well-meant), but it was not well-executed between the underlying message of ‘I still think I’m right about the Accords and you’re wrong,’ and the almost-maybe-probably-genuine regret of not telling Tony the truth about his parents’ death, (and Tony was cynical enough to believe that had more to do with Tony going after Barnes than the hurt caused to Tony by Steve’s betrayal). His fingers tightened and crumpled the paper. His gaze landed on the accompanying cell phone and he grimaced.

Steve-Rogers was an idiot, Tony thought tiredly, or he was performing one hell of a trust fall in hoping Tony wouldn’t actually use the phone to track where Steve and his Bucky had disappeared to in the wake of Siberia (as though he didn’t already know since T’Challa had checked on him before flying away). Faith in individuals, his ass.

“Boss, General Ross has been holding for five minutes.” FRIDAY informed him cheerily.

Tony sighed and glanced at the flashing light on the office phone. He smoothed the letter out, folded it and crammed it back into the envelope. He glared at the ancient black cell phone.

He hated the idea that there would be a time when he would need to call Rogers, but the fact was it was entirely possible. The threat he’d seen on the other side of the portal hadn’t gone away. Thor had gone exploring for what was going on with the – what had he called them? – the infinity gems? Sure, there’d been an occasional return of the Asgardian to Earth to update them on his lack of progress (and possibly that was because his visits were booty calls with Jane before they split, if Tony was any judge), but Thor was certain something was going on with the infinity stones.

Yeah.

It was all too entirely possible the world would need Rogers and the others who’d followed him (and who the super-soldier was presumably breaking out of the RAFT right that moment). And Tony was absolutely certain that in that nebulous future apocalypse when Tony called him, Rogers would be smiling his smugly smug smile with all his perfect teeth because he’d take it as justification that he was right and Tony was wrong.

Only Tony didn’t believe he was all that wrong for believing the Avengers needed to be accountable (Rhodey had been on his side; Vision had been on his side), not when over a hundred countries demanded it. Tony fully believed they needed to answer for their decisions and actions so people could see that they were owning their mistakes and would resolve to do better – and it wasn’t just his own guilt prompting him to think that although he conceded it was part of it.    

Of course, the Accords weren’t perfect and Rogers was right; they were open to abuse as unfortunately Ross had clearly demonstrated. If the General’s position as Secretary of State had been the reason he’d been the one to present the Accords to the US based Avengers, he’d somehow just stepped in as the de facto liaison between the UN, the Joint Counter-Terrorism Unit and the Avengers in the confusion following the bombing. That had been a mistake.

Tony had thoroughly checked since returning from Siberia and there was nothing in the Accords which gave Ross specifically any power or jurisdiction over any superhero who had signed up to the Accords. Ross had just stepped into a power vacuum and people had let him. He’d made a power play for the Avengers just like the Senate had made a power play for the Iron Man suit under the guise of oversight. And maybe Tony should have checked on all of that prior to the meet-up at the airport, but if wishes were horses…

Which didn’t mean that Rogers and his merry band of fugitives were off the hook. If Ross had proven Rogers’s point about agendas not their own, Rogers had proven Ross’s point about acting without legality and due care. Rogers and the others were criminally responsible for the damage they had wrought in the name of protecting Barnes and trying to stop Zemo. Their imprisonment in the RAFT though – that was Ross overstepping his position again (and Rogers was right that some locks shouldn’t be replaced).

The upshot was that between Ross proving Rogers’s point that the Accords could be abused, and Steve proving Ross’s point that the Avengers could cause a lot of damage if left to run unchecked, Tony was caught in the middle. But maybe it was time for Tony to build a metaphorical suit of armour and escape…

Another glance at the phone confirmed Ross was still holding. Tony was impressed; he’d figured Ross would have hung up already. He flicked the button on the phone. “Mister Secretary. You still there?”

“This isn’t the time for your foolishness, Stark! Get your butt here now! The fugitives have only…”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline.” Tony said cheerfully. “Under the Accords, section six, sub-section eight, we’re all required to have a review hearing…”

The dial tone sounded loudly in the small office.

“…in front of the currently non-existent UN panel before we can resume activity as Avengers.”

Tony smirked and flicked the button to hang up his end. His eyes caught on Rogers’s phone and letter. There might be a time when the world would need Captain America and he’d have to make that call, but not right that minute. Right that minute, it was time for Tony to do what Tony did best…

Be Tony Stark.

Plan Z

Tony thinks waking up for a second time with his body mutilated is only slightly less horrifying than the first time.

He hurts everywhere and his mind whirls.

He can’t believe he’s travelled back in time. Stephen Strange’s last resort made a reality. He remembers asking Strange why they couldn’t just use the time stone to fix things during one of their early conversations and there had been a reply which had something to do with breaking the universe’s natural laws? Tony shakes his head, a fragment of their conversation drifting back to him…

“OK. I get it. Bad idea.” Tony smirked at Strange. “So. Plan B?”

Strange grinned but there was a serious glint in his eyes. “How about we make it plan Z?”

“Last resort, huh?” Tony shrugged. “Yeah, why not? Let’s go with that.”

He also remembers the rest of the discussion which had revolved around time travel theory, multiverses, dimensions, quantum mechanics and magic. Strange was – is? – brilliant and Tony had enjoyed the debate. He has to remember key events, Tony thinks foggily through the pain and the last of the haze of whatever they’d used to finally knock him out. He has to remember key events and timings and…he passes out again.

Yinsen is waiting for him when he wakes up. “We met once at a conference. You probably don’t remember me…”

“Yinsen. Bern.” Tony replies as he struggles upright. “I was an ass.”

Surprise flits through Yinsen’s eyes.

Tony calculates he can’t afford to change a lot of the timeline if he’s to make their war with Thanos either unlikely to happen or a hell of a lot more successful than their last attempt to defeat him. Too many changes will irrevocably alter future events to the point where Tony won’t have the advantage of foreknowledge.

So, he refuses to build Ten Ring the weapons they want again.

He gets waterboarded again.

He reminds himself with every tortured breath of air that he’ll live through this; that he’ll make it home.

He stands in front of the cache of his weapons, lies and agrees to build the Jericho, his pain-wracked body almost overwhelmed with the déjà vu.

The first priority is replacing the car battery with the miniaturised arc reactor. It takes less time to pull together since Tony isn’t just theorising but working with practical knowledge. But there’s a limit to how much he can do building it in a cave – he definitely can’t get around the palladium but he comforts himself that its only until he gets home and can recreate the vibranium core. The arc reactor is different though; improved.

His relationship with Yinsen is also different. It seems warmer somehow. Yinsen is more than just the pushy voice in his ear reminding Tony of the blood on his hands and how responsible Tony is for it all. They talk more, although cautiously, too aware of the cameras watching them.

When they talk of family Tony still tells Yinsen he has none – he’s not going to give Ten Rings any leverage (but he thinks about Pepper, Rhodey and Happy, about JARVIS and his bots – the small family he has built). He thinks Yinsen gets it though. Yinsen talks of his wife and his daughter but never reveals they are gone and Tony cannot bring himself to press the other man into telling him the truth that they’re dead.

Tony thinks he can save Yinsen this time.

He desperately wants to save him because Yinsen deserves to be saved. Two suits are undoable – he knows from the first time that constructing even one suit had taken almost too much time. They do have to pretend to be making a Jericho after all. But he constructs a shield first; makes sure the suit can take the weight of two men. He makes it clear to Yinsen that he’s expecting both of them to get out of their captivity alive.

It doesn’t work.

The escape almost goes beat for beat the same; their captors become suspicious just a smidgeon too soon as the suit powers up; Yinsen runs ahead to buy Tony time – and he doesn’t take the shield, leaves it behind – and…

“Go home to your family, Stark.” Yinsen smiles up at him; his body is riddled with bullets, blood pooling into the ground below him. “I am going home to mine.”

Tony hears the echo of Yinsen’s voice in his memory; “Don’t waste your life…”

He lays waste to the Ten Rings and the weapons, his weapons, remembered pain mixing with a newer grief because he knows Yinsen even better now.

The suit is better designed. It steers better than before as he rockets into the sky and brings himself down. It’s a rough landing and Tony’s reminded again of how lucky he has been – is – that he doesn’t end up with a broken back like Rhodey did – will – won’t, won’t, won’t.

He gathers as much of the suit as he can (he won’t make it easy for Obie this time), and drags it behind him.

Step by step across the sand.

Step.

By.

Step.

The helicopter finds him and Rhodey runs – runs! – to him and Tony is on his knees and hugging Rhodey and crying and – he’s going to do better this time.

He swears it.

He has family to protect.

Chapter Two: Press Conferences

Plan A

Really too many of his ‘beginnings’ involved a press conference.

Or something exploding.

Tony really needed to do something about that.

He glanced down at his notecards and set them down on the table in front of him. He ignored Rhodey’s long-suffering sigh in the wheelchair beside him on Tony’s left and the way Pepper twitched on his right, her brand new Manolo Blahnik intentionally knocking against his shiny brogue under the table, while she smiled out at the seated reporters. Vision sat on Rhodey’s other side, a silent sentinel in his perfectly formed three-piece suit. Tony wished suddenly for the bots; that he could have FRIDAY in his ear and his armour around him.

But it was time for another type of suit and the Armani he wore fairly screamed rich, successful and put together even if the body underneath was bruised and battered. Make-up covered most of the marks on his face; a tight watch – one of his watch-gauntlet combinations – provided the wrist support for his healing arm. He looked like Tony Stark; genius billionaire. And if he was going to steer the Avengers and his family out of the mess of the Accords and its aftermath he was going to need to be the best version of Tony Stark, genius billionaire, he was ever going to be.

Step one of the awesome plan A he and his family had constructed, Tony reminded himself, was to address the appalling state of the Avengers’ public image. Which was why they had gathered the waiting vultures in front of him at the Tower for a press conference.  

He cleared his throat.

“Thank you for coming. I know many of you have been waiting some time for us to provide a statement following recent events.” He paused and looked around the expectant journalists. “We’re going to begin with the events in Lagos which were the catalyst for accelerating the ratification of the Sokovia Accords by the UN Assembly.”

They all gaze back expectantly and Tony wonders again why Rogers hadn’t held his own press conference right after the mission. The only statement issued by the Avengers had acknowledged the regret at the loss of life while providing the excuse of dealing with a terrorist threat. In hindsight, Tony wondered if Rogers had written it himself since it almost mirrored the tone of his own letter from the man.

Tony tapped his phone and around the room there was a cacophony of beeps and whistles notifying their owners of email.

“You’re all now in receipt of all non-classified details which should clear up the continuing misinformation about Lagos. The detailed report states how Wanda Maximoff was attempting to save lives on the ground in the marketplace but was unable to direct the suicide bomber into a completely safe space before the detonation. Although none of us here can speak for her, I personally witnessed Miss Maximoff’s horror and how deeply responsible she felt about the loss of life.”

He gestured at a reporter whose hand had shot up into the air.

“Why were these details not provided immediately in the aftermath?” The CNN reporter was a familiar face and Tony knew her to be tough but fair.

Vision sat forward, glancing toward Tony for permission which Tony gave with a brief nod. “Captain Rogers made the decision not to release the information to protect Miss Maximoff from further public focus.”

“Vision,” another journalist jumped in quickly, “why were you and Colonel Rhodes excluded from the Lagos mission?”

It was Rhodey who answered after a brief glance at Vision. “It’s standard practice for two members of the team to remain State-side when the others are overseas either to provide operational support or to address any emergency situations which may arise elsewhere.”

“Moving on,” Tony said briskly, “let’s talk Accords.” His brown gaze swept through the room. “The Sokovia Accords place the Avengers Initiative under the direction and oversight of a UN panel. We accept that the Avengers must be held accountable. We want to make it clear to everyone who has supported the Accords, or who raised concerns that we were acting unchecked and without care for boundaries or laws, that we listened, are listening.”

He waited for a long moment.

“As you are aware not all Avengers agree with the Accords as they currently stand. They raise valid concerns as to the nature of missions to be undertaken, the speed and efficiency of decision-making and the consequences for violation of orders. The Accords are also ambiguous regarding the actions of superheroes who are not part of the Avengers.” Tony continued solemnly.

There was a stir of movement but nobody spoke.

“These are not trivial concerns. I’m sure no-one wants a superhero team to be used to further a malicious or illegal agenda. I’m sure in that case you’d agree that it would be appropriate for an Avenger to disagree with the mission but then what? The details are vague on potential consequences.” Tony gestured to indicate the room. “I’m also very certain that if another hostile alien attack happened here right now, everyone would expect us to act to save them regardless that we would be in violation of the Accords if we did so.”

Tony was pleased at the small nods he could see and he waved at a young reporter lurking on the edges who raised their hand.

“Why were these concerns not addressed prior to the ratification of the Accords?” The guy asked hesitantly pushing his glasses up his nose even as his other hand held up his phone to record the answer.

“The Avengers were not involved in the drafting of the Accords. After Sokovia, UN inspectors investigated what happened and they recommended that formal oversight of the Avengers be implemented. We did occasionally hear rumblings of an oversight document but as nobody approached us, we had no real substantive information upon which to act.” Tony said. “Our own inquiries to the UN and the US government were met with statements that we would be involved in due time.”

“When did you become aware of the actual document and its detail?” Christine Everheart asked bluntly, not waiting for him to indicate she should speak.

Rhodey leaned forward. “Secretary Ross approached Tony after Lagos and he accompanied him on a meeting with the whole team after everyone returned Stateside. We were given three days to read and agree to the document before it was ratified at Vienna. We were assured by both Secretary Ross and our own legal team who reviewed the document, that there was a procedure which would allow future amendments.” He looked at the reporters as they absorbed the timeline. “My own signing was and is a gesture of good faith; of placing my duty and responsibility to protect people ahead of my concerns. I believe in accountability and that when people say they want to us to change the way we do things, we listen.”

Tony could see Rhodey’s words resonating with the crowd.

“Now that doesn’t mean,” Rhodey continued, “that we can ignore the fact that amendment is required. We’ll be very happy to work through the areas of concern with the UN Accords panel.”

“Which brings me to an interesting point of order.” Tony jumped in, gesturing expansively. “Right now, the UN panel is not in operation. All currently signed-up Avengers are awaiting debrief for recent events which were coordinated with the Joint Counter-Terrorism Unit and ordered by our Secretary of State in the absence of the panel.”  

“We spoke with the UN Secretary General this morning, and agreed that the UN panel will be constituted this week to enable the Avengers to operate fully under the Accords and for the review hearings to take place.” Rhodey added. “We also agreed that should an exceptional emergency situation occur before that time, the Avengers have the internal authority to act or not, and any decisions and actions will be reviewed post emergency.”

Pepper cleared her throat to gain the attention of the press. “Stark Industries also took part in the call this morning as there are legal and financial considerations which are not addressed specifically by the Accords but which will need to be reviewed in light of the operational shift to UN governance.”

“Could you elaborate for us, Miss Potts?” called a reporter from the back of the room.

“Of course, Jack.” Pepper responded, smiling. “The Avengers Initiative effectively has operated as an international non-profit organisation in the wake of SHIELD’s operational integrity being compromised. Its operating budget is primarily funded by the sale of merchandising or private donations…”

Tony’s own personal donation being the primary funding, Tony thought absently.

“…this will need review by the UN panel, who under the Accords will set a budget, but it’s not clear whether the UN will actually take over funding the Initiative. SI has also provided buildings, technical, business and scientific expertise at either cost or no charge to support the Initiative. We have legal contracts between SI and the Initiative which will need to be reviewed. I’m sure the same applies to other suppliers.” Pepper smiled. “The Secretary General has agreed there will be a sixty-day transition window in which all these legal and financial concerns are handled to ensure a fair outcome for all.”

“So,” Tony asserted to start wrapping up the press conference, “that’s all we have for you folks. The Avengers will continue to protect our world. We’re working things out with the UN and we’re listening.”

“What about Captain America?” shouted someone from the back.

“Yeah, and the witch?” Another chimed in.

“Are the Avengers being sent to apprehend them following their escape from custody?”

Others began to shout additional questions and Tony held up a hand.

“OK, so we cannot comment – cannot comment about events which are currently subject to legal investigation.” Tony smiled to soften the refusal. “At least that’s what Miss Potts tells me.”

There was a smattering of laughter and Pepper helped by rolling her eyes at him.

“I will say this,“ Tony said, sobering a touch, “firstly, it has been agreed with the Secretary General that the Avengers will not pursue certain individuals such as Captain America due to the need to establish a proper operational framework. So, we’re emergencies only right now. Unless Cap decides to invade somewhere with an army of sentient toasters – or no, wait, that’s more likely to be me…”

There was another round of chuckles.

Tony gestured toward the reporters as he drew their attention again. “I know you all know that the others, well, they did what they did because they believed they were trying to do the right thing in their eyes. But that doesn’t alter the fact that mistakes were made and people were hurt; laws were broken.”

He made eye contact with a couple of reporters as he paused.

“Steve Rogers is going to have to answer for his actions, just as I’m going to answer for mine. All of us should answer for what went down. That’s what accountability means.”

Tony waited a moment. Just as the reporters started to fire questions again, he rose to his feet buttoning his jacket and straightening his cuffs, and trying hard not to help Rhodey who wheeled his chair away from the table and out of the room with hard-won skill.

Rhodey stopped as they closed the door on the room and took a breath. He tapped Tony’s hand to catch his attention and Tony turned to him with a questioning arch of one eyebrow in mute query.

“Proud of you, man.”

Pepper leaned in just as Tony was about to reply, snagging his tie she pulled him close and kissed him.

Tony stared at her as she stepped back and wiped the lipstick away from his mouth with a brush of her thumb. Her eyes were smiling at him. “Does this mean…” He asked hopefully.

“I’m proud of you too.” Pepper held on to his tie and Tony started smiling back at her as they gazed at each other.

He was almost one hundred per cent certain that kissing meant the break was over. Well, eighty per cent. Maybe sixty…

She kissed him again.

OK, he was a hundred per cent certain.

“I too am proud.” Vision stated, causing them to break apart. “But I believe I will refrain from kissing you.”

They all snickered. Pepper looped her arm around his as they started to make their way to the elevator where Happy was waiting.

“Oh hey boss.” Happy held up his phone. “You know the kid has texted me five times already today.”

“That’s great.” Tony said not really listening as he continued looking at Pepper who was beaming back at him. It was fine. Happy liked the Spiderkid.

“I could tell you the world was ending right now and you wouldn’t hear a thing, would you?” Rhodey said.

“Hmmm?” Tony said as his hand slipped down to tangle his fingers with Pepper’s.

Step one complete, he thought as they all entered the elevator. Plan A was a go.

Plan Z

The press are almost vibrating with excitement despite their outward appearance of sympathetic compassion for the newly returned Tony Stark to civilisation.

Tony remembers how it went the last time. He’s more prepared this time – eschewing cheeseburgers because he remembers throwing them all back up – and instead going straight to the press conference he insists on doing.

And he needs to do this press conference, needs to regain control of SI very, very publicly. Step one (or should this be two because step one was surviving to make it to this press conference), so OK, step two in this insane trip through time is to deal with Obie and make sure Tony’s own image starts to be more responsible and stable. Personality change in the face of a trauma is his best excuse ever.

He means to say what he meant to say in the last timeline before it had gotten lost between the impromptu sit-in (which he doesn’t do now), his rambling self-epiphany about accountability (he’s determined not to ramble), and Obie all but shoving him out of the room after the announcement about closing down weapons production, (and he knows he won’t make the same announcement this time, because he’s thought long and hard about it and the world needs the best weapons he can make in the hands of every soldier if they’re going to survive the oncoming storms).

He looks around the room and catches sight of Phil Coulson by Pepper. He inwardly flinches and swallows hard against the memory of blood-stained cards strewn on a conference table.

“Thank you for coming.” Tony begins. “Firstly, I can confirm the statement released by Stark Industries yesterday that I was rescued by US forces following three months of captivity. I want to thank the President and the Joint Chiefs for their efforts to search for me and for my rescue. I also want to thank everyone here at Stark Industries for keeping the home fires burning.”

He can’t bring himself to thank Obie specifically knowing he’s behind the attempt on his life but as Obie is beaming beside him, Tony figures he’s said enough to placate the older man’s ego.

“My father,” Tony says and instantly he has the room’s attention. “My father,” he repeats, “didn’t talk to me much about his legacy. But I remember he told me once that Starks build for heroes. We gave Captain America his shield,” and he almost sees in the corner of his eye how Coulson looks up at the mention of his hero, “and Sergeant Barnes his rifle. We outfit the soldiers who fight for our freedom, for the innocent, but always, always on the side of right.”

There is total silence in the room. A pin could drop and sound like a klaxon.

Tony clears his throat. “Airman James Forest. Airman Claudia Benito. Senior Airman Charles Baker. Airman Casper Winney. Staff Sergeant Giles Bingley. Airman Dominic Torres. These servicemen lost their lives in the initial ambush; they died protecting my life. Five more brave men and women were injured.” He’d made Rhodey tell him the names of the deceased on the flight home. “Doctor Ho Yinsen was a fellow captive. He saved my life and gave his own so my escape was possible. They are all heroes; every one of them.”

He doesn’t need to see Pepper to know her hand is over her mouth, her eyes bright with tears. He doesn’t need to see how Rhodey stands just behind him, stoic and concerned.

“And I saw them all killed with Stark weapons, my weapons.” Tony states roughly. “Weapons I had built to protect them.”

For the first time there’s a surprised murmur that runs around the room. Obie tenses beside him.

His life is worth something, Tony tells himself firmly, and even then…if he has to be the Merchant of Death to defeat Thanos, he’ll bear it. But he won’t ignore his responsibility either.

“There has to be accountability.” Tony said loudly. “And for that reason,” he continues, “Stark Industries and I will be cooperating fully with the government investigation into how our weapons ended up in the hands of terrorists, to ensure all those responsible face the consequences.   We will track down every weapon distributed and obtained illegally; we will destroy those in the hands of our enemies.”

Tony pauses, his eyes dark with determination.

“If I can’t protect our heroes,” he finishes, “I damn well will avenge them.”

He steps away from the lectern and the room suddenly breaks out with a few claps, which become a few more and as he steps down from the stage the room is applauding and the reporters are beginning to find their voices…he ignores Obie stepping up to the lectern and makes for Pepper, which also handily takes him right to Coulson.

“Pepper, I’m just going to head up to my office…” He needs to break into Obie’s ghost server and that means going to his office so he can write and run the code on-site (Pepper won’t be put in danger again).

“You should rest and what do you mean head up to…you never go up to your office.” She protests.

“There’s a first time for everything, Miss Potts.” Tony says, more affection and fondness bleeding through than he intends because it’s Pepper. But he knows it’s wrong; they’re not there yet, not Tony and Pepper yet. But…

Their eyes meet for a long moment and he sees the questions gathering in hers.

“Mister Stark?” Coulson interrupts them, his badge flashing briefly, and Tony can’t decide if he’s happy or not about that. “Agent Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention and Enforcement Division. Given your speech, I was wondering if now would be a good time for us to debrief you?”

“Sure, why not?” Tony looks back at where Obie is distracted, fielding questions and corralling the press. “We’re done here.”

Chapter Three: Encounters with Fury

Plan A

Tony managed to slide away during the lunch recess on the excuse he needed to take a phone call. Why anyone believed him wasn’t something he was going to examine too closely but even Pepper hadn’t given him her usual ‘this is bullshit’ knowing look. He made his way up to the roof. He overrode the building security on the door and walked out into fresh air with something that bordered on panic.

He took a stuttering deep breath and leaned against the wall. There had been a reason why he’d tapped out of the Avengers; why it hadn’t been a joke when he’d claimed he was an active duty non-combatant. His PTSD could catch him out on good days never mind when he’d spent hours and days recounting events which were emotionally draining. But it was worth it to undermine Ross; to fix things so the Avengers could operate without the fear of being tossed into the RAFT.

Tony straightened, turned around and gave a shout of surprise at the lurking figure of Nick Fury. “Jesus! Did you have to do that?”

“You’re a hard man to get alone these days.” Fury said.

Tony took in Fury’s outfit; the old battered leather blazer, the black slacks and turtleneck. Fury had his trademark eyepatch. He caught the glimpse of bags and shadows under the eyes, the lines of stress around his mouth. “You’re a dead man.” He pointed out. “I think you’re the more difficult variable in this equation.”

Fury huffed. “Listen, Stark…”

“NO!” Something snapped suddenly in Tony’s head. “I’m seriously not in the mood. I don’t care if you want to poke at my daddy issues or send me on another guilt trip with a set of blood-stained cards or berate me for trying to find a solution to the alien threat that’s out there. I’m done.”

Tony stormed away to the edge of the roof and took shaky breath after shaky breath.

He was surprised when Fury walked up to stand beside him. They didn’t look at each other but out at the New York skyline.

“You ever consider why I told you about that nuke and not Rogers?” asked Fury.

“You figured I would actually know what it was?” Tony guessed. It hadn’t really ever occurred to him to wonder.

“I figured you were the best person to handle it.” Fury said. “I’ve never doubted when it came down to the wire that you would lie on it.” He paused. “Or cut the damn thing.”

Tony gave a breathy laugh, reminded of the harsh words he and Rogers had thrown at each other on the helicarrier.

“Careful, Nick,” Tony said, “you almost sound sincere there.”

Fury shrugged. “I’ve just spent the last month getting my balls roasted on a daily basis by Laura Barton over dragging her husband back into the game.”

“She and the smaller agents are safe?” asked Tony quietly. He’d kicked himself a lot for giving away Clint’s marriage and kids in the RAFT. He’d known Clint had them off-grid. He shouldn’t have… “Wait. What?”

Fury glanced over to meet Tony’s wide-eyed glare. “They’re safe. Man doesn’t do anything without his wife’s say-so and I had a hell of a time convincing her he’d be needed when this whole Accords shit show went down.”

“You knew about the Accords.” Tony stated.

“I couldn’t get anyone close enough to keep one hand on the wheel.” Fury returned evenly.

And that…Natasha had used those same words. Both Natasha and Clint had told him to watch his back.

“Was getting both your operatives labelled as criminals an actual plan?” asked Tony tiredly.

“We called it wrong.” Fury said.

Tony believed it was the most honest answer he’d ever gotten from the spy of spies.

“Romanov was meant to shadow you and keep you in check.” Fury explained shortly.

“So, back to her original mission then.” Tony shot back. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised she stabbed me in the back this time rather than the neck.”

“She made a call in the field.” Fury retorted. “Barton always thought both you and Rogers would leave him out of it, but Rogers called and told him about the potential threat of more Winter Soldiers. He knew he couldn’t stay on the side-lines. But Barton argued with Rogers about leaving you out of the loop,” he explained, “he argued for Rogers to tell you about the threat at the airport…he tried to stall the fight as much as he could.”

“But I didn’t really listen.” He’d noted it but he’d been so focused on just bringing them in and getting them safe so Ross couldn’t give a kill order…damn it.

“Barton said it was difficult getting Rogers to say anything at all. Rogers could have tried harder and he didn’t stand down either.” Fury said. “He could have done the right thing in the first place and picked up the phone to you, left Barton the hell out of it. Romanov complicated things bringing in T’Challa but by the time Barton called her it was too late to retract her offer to him and to give you a heads up. She knows she fucked up.”

She had figured out they would be at the airport because Clint had told her. It was all beginning to add up in his head. “She realised T’Challa wasn’t interested in anything but killing Barnes, and Rogers wasn’t going to stop to explain himself properly, I wasn’t going to stop trying to bring them in…” he thought out loud.

“The priority had to be ensuring those other Winter Soldiers didn’t get loose.” Fury concluded.

And Natasha had broken cover to make sure Rogers and Barnes went after them.

Tony shoved his hands into his pockets. What a mess.

“You seem to be cleaning it up pretty well.” Fury commented.

Tony huffed because he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“You’ve had Ross sanctioned for overstepping his authority, he’s facing a Senate investigation on that business with the RAFT, and has had the UN officially slap him over the wrists for ignoring evidence.” Fury continued.

Tony hummed. Even better, with all the negative press about Ross generated from the hearings, a couple of anonymous hints to reporters later and the twenty-four hour news media was filled with Ross’s dirty laundry. Resignation was on the cards if he wasn’t fired first.

“You got the draft amendments agreed in principle.” Fury added.

The new UN panel had been happy to accept them since Ross had shown how the Accords could be abused. They’d also given permission for independent superheroes outside of the Avengers to provide occasional assistance in emergency situations without signing the Accords, but with the proviso that local authorities could bring charges if there were serious injuries to innocent bystanders or extensive property damage directly caused by said superheroes. His Spiderkid was covered by that new proviso thank God.

Tony breathed out.

“You and the King of Wakanda managed to get the clusterfuck at Leipzig off the board and retrospectively legitimised. And don’t think I don’t know you’ve ended up paying for the damages.”

“Kitty-cat is paying for some of it.” Tony said.

Between them Tony and T’Challa were facing quite the bill for repairs. In absentia, Rogers’s team had been officially reprimanded for not being under the Accords with Wanda’s continuing Avenger status subject to additional training. Natasha had also received a reprimand for letting Rogers and Barnes go.

Tony had also testified about Siberia…about Zemo’s plan to drive a wedge between the Avengers because the Winter Soldier had killed Tony’s parents; that Rogers and Barnes had escaped; that Zemo had been delivered to the task force. Ultimately the UN panel had done nothing more than acknowledge there had been a clear and present danger which had needed to be contained.

But Romania and the breakout from the task force centre were different matters.

Romania had waived charges against T’Challa partially because of his diplomatic immunity and partially because he had signed the Accords as a gesture of goodwill in the aftermath (and Tony was certain T’Challa was writing another large cheque to cover damages there). But Rogers, Barnes and Wilson were still facing charges for obstructing the taskforce, escaping and resisting arrest since they hadn’t signed the Accords, and Tony…he was done fighting for them.

“Rogers isn’t a politician.” Fury stated bluntly. “Between that and discovering HYDRA in SHIELD…” he heaved a sigh, “we obviously underestimated how burned he felt. Wilson was with him then and…”

“And I’ve stopped listening.” Tony said sharply. “I told you. I’m done. Tell Rogers to get his ass back here and argue his point with the UN himself if he doesn’t want to be a criminal.” He turned and started to walk back.

“Stark!”

Tony turned back, unable to help himself no matter how much he wanted to ignore Fury.

“You know better than anyone you’re going to need them back.”

Tony nodded. He was sure he would one day. “Tell me, Fury,” he said too casually not to put the spy on notice, “how long have you known my parents were killed by the Winter Soldier?”

Fury stared back at him impassively.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” Tony said. He started walking again. “Good talk. Let’s do this like never again.”

Plan Z

“Well, in summary, Tony, I think I can speak for us all when I say that we consider that the first debut of your new Iron Man armour is a success. Gulmira is successfully liberated and the Foundation you put together is on the ground working with the survivors.” General Meade grins at Tony through the screen. “I say congratulations are in order.”

Rhodey beams at Tony from his place by Meade’s side.

“Certainly gets my vote.” Senator Gibson says cheerfully on another screen.

Tony fakes the grin they’re expecting to see. “One mission down…”

“We’ll get there.” Meade pauses, his expression sobering. “I want to thank you, Tony. I know putting the agreement and this oversight panel in place was challenging at times but I think we proved today it can work. I can promise you that we’re fully committed to the goal of destroying any weapons that are out there illegally.”

Tony nods. He’d spent a good portion of time investing in getting the correct oversight in place for himself. If he set the example better…maybe it would make a difference in the future. But it had been a battle.

The legal agreement he and the Department of Defence have constructed has recently instituted an oversight panel for Iron Man’s missions. Tony effectively reports to the panel, bringing intelligence and requests for operational support on the ground or in the air; attending debriefs like the one for his first mission which he had insisted be Gulmira.

But he retains ownership of Iron Man and while the military can request Iron Man support on a mission, Tony can say no without consequence. He’s softened the blow by telling them outright he’s giving Rhodey a suit sometime in the near future so they can order his Air Force friend to take missions, but he’s made it clear that the suit will continue to belong to Tony and Rhodey is the only pilot he will accept.

He’s also set up the Relief Foundation earlier than previously. It will provide financial and practical assistance in rebuilding and supporting communities in the wake of his missions. He thinks he’s done better this time.

No Senate hearings.

No attempts to appropriate Iron Man.

No fight on the highway between him and Obie which had cost so much and hurt so many innocent people.

“We’re all committed to the same goal here.” The Director of Homeland Security nods on a different screen. “We’ve appreciated your transparency, Mister Stark. I can promise you we’ll be prosecuting those identified in the sale of those weapons to the full extent of the law.”

The public cover story is that Homeland is dealing with the investigation into the legal arms dealing. The truth is that Coulson had followed Tony to the office after the press conference and he’d waited surprisingly patiently while Tony had written the code to interrogate his own company servers. Apart from the evidence on Stane himself, four of SI’s executives had been implicated directly in Stane’s weapons dealing, two members of the management team, and more than twenty lower level employees had been embroiled knowingly in the actual cover-up, or the production and shipment. He’d turned the evidence over to Coulson who had immediately arrested them all.

He belatedly realises Meade is talking again and tunes back in.

“…and I can honestly say I’m looking forward to when Colonel Rhodes will have his suit.” Meade says. “It’s an incredible invention, Stark.”

Rhodey looks giddy at the mention of it. Tony grins at him because this is what he had wanted the first time he’d developed Iron Man; Rhodey being involved and providing a sounding board. Rhodey had been too pissed at him back then because of the weapons decision but that’s not relevant anymore. This time he’s been blown away by Tony asking for his advice about oversight and, well, not quite following it but coming up with a compromise.

“In the meantime,” Meade says, “your new tactical vests for our troops are going down well in the field. I’m pretty certain the DOJ will also be knocking on your door for an equivalent for law enforcement.”

Tony nods. “We still on for the joint press announcement on Monday?”

“All arranged with Ms Potts.” Meade confirms.

They exchange a few more pleasantries before the video call wraps up and the screens go blank.

Tony sighs, tired. He taps his fingers against the arc reactor. He hasn’t had time to deal with the palladium between building the suit, putting oversight in place, and changing the future of SI without losing the weapons production. But he’s beginning to feel the effects of the palladium poisoning and that’s not something he ever wanted to remember. He’s going to have to deal with the reactor core soon.

“Sir, Ms Potts has sent you two critical emails requiring your attention and Mrs Arbogast has left four related to the new organisational structure in the Technology Division.” JARVIS informs him briskly as DUM-E trundles up with an icepack.

“Thanks, J.” Tony’s voice can’t hide his affection. He loves having JARVIS back (he may have fallen to the floor weeping the night he came home). He’d been fond of Vision but oh, he’d missed JARVIS.

The AI is now backed up in two additional remote server farms every night and Tony has coded in emergency measures in case of an attack like Ultron’s (not that he’s going to create Ultron again but just in case); he won’t lose JARVIS, not again.

(And he’s pointedly not thinking about what that means for Vision, for the mind stone).

Tony frowns as he pulls up the emails. He’s kept his own position as CEO but he’s made Pepper Chief Operating Officer. Her new position will be a good stepping stone to her becoming CEO. Mrs Arbogast has stepped in as his assistant and he’s adjusting to the new regime. (He misses Pepper).

Tony spends the next few hours clearing his email and going through project proposals for the new tech division before he stops. He leans back in the chair, tired, so tired. He shifts the icepack and closes his eyes for a moment.

It’s been a long few months.

He’s run nothing but variables and scenarios with JARVIS to work out what to do to avoid Thanos and everything points to Maria Hill being unfortunately correct when she’d yelled at Thor that the invasion was all his fault.

Although, if Tony was being picky, it was really Odin’s fault for choosing to banish Thor to Midgard thus drawing the attention of the rest of the universe back to them. (Thor himself had blamed them playing with the Tesseract but then why hadn’t aliens invaded back during World War II…the Tesseract couldn’t be the root cause.) Since Tony can’t stop Odin from banishing Thor, it means it’s going to happen regardless of what Tony does or doesn’t do. All Tony can do is make sure they’re more prepared; that they’ll be ready to face Thanos and defeat him.

“Sir, Agent Coulson has arrived with a man I believe from your descriptions may be Director Fury.” JARVIS announces smoothly.

Tony sighs heavily.

He throws the ice-pack to DUM-E and heads up to the living room to greet his visitors.

While being prepared for Thanos means he needs to play nicely with SHIELD, he hasn’t really had a lot to do with them beyond Coulson’s occasional drop-ins. He can’t quite hide his hesitation at the sight of Fury (Tony’s mind flashes with the memory of the helicarrier breaking apart in a fiery explosion and he blinks the image away). Luckily Fury’s brooding appearance is probably enough to provide a reason for Tony’s reaction.

Fury clears his throat and offers his hand, yanking Tony out of his head. “I’m Director Nick Fury. We’ve met once before, but I doubt you remember it.”

“Was I drunk?” asks Tony dryly, shaking hands.

“You were eight.” Fury responds.

“That’s not a no.” Tony points out lightly.

Fury looks amused as he nods at Coulson who leaves.

“Drink?” Tony gestures to the side and his decanter of whiskey. Fury inclines his head and Tony spends the next few minutes pouring them both a tumbler.

Fury takes the glass and raises it. “To your survival against the odds.”

Tony matches the salute and takes a sip. Alcohol is still his biggest vice. It’s hard not to want to drown himself some nights when the nightmares come and the need to save the future becomes overwhelming.

They wander outside to the table and chairs by the pool and Tony takes a moment to enjoy the view of a warm orange sun slowing sliding into the blue ocean.

“Congratulations on Gulmira.” Fury states bluntly. “Your suit thing made quite an impression. What are the Air Force calling it? Iron Man?”

“Thanks.” Tony shoots back.

“You really intend to continue to have such a direct involvement in hunting down your weapons?” asks Fury bluntly.

“I’m sure you already know the answer to that.” Tony replies mildly. “I’m cleaning up a mistake.”

Fury raises his glass again. “Maybe you’ve done enough. You’ve done a good job cleaning up SI.”

“Would you stop?” Tony asks brusquely.

“No.” Fury acknowledges.

Tony can see him come to a decision as Fury shifts position and sits forward to stare intently at Tony.

“I knew your father because he helped found SHIELD.”

“I know.” Tony says because he doesn’t think he can pretend to act shocked enough to carry it off.

Fury’s good eye narrows on him anyway. “Your Dad left explicit instructions that you were not to be directly involved with SHIELD. It’s the reason why we don’t even contract directly with SI but through the DOD. He wanted you safe.”

“We don’t always get what we want.” Tony comments, irritated at Fury once again demonstrating just how little Tony really knew about his father.

“You can step back. Leave us to go after the weapons. Focus on your company.” Fury states. “Do another Oprah interview.”

Tony’s exclusive one-to-one with Oprah about his experience a few weeks after his return had garnered the highest ratings of the year.

“I think you know my answer to that.” Tony drains his glass and gets up. “If that’s all?” He’s taken two steps away when Fury calls out to him.

“Stane was found dead in his cell two hours ago.”

The news freezes Tony for a second and it’s his turn to stare at Fury.

“He strangled himself with his belt which is funny because he didn’t have one.” Fury stands up and continues calmly. “Coulson is making arrangements with Homeland for news to break of Stane’s untimely and fatal heart attack while in custody; you’ll want to prepare a statement.”

“He’s really dead?” Because Tony has to check. Has to.

“I saw the body myself.” Fury confirms.

Tony nods and can’t quite stop himself from touching his arc reactor. “Thanks for the heads up.” He says before he cocks his head to the side. “You think someone killed him?”

“Yes.” Fury states, eyes on Tony.

“Then it’s an inside job.” Tony points out, although he figures Fury already has to know. Still it can’t hurt to give him a hint about the HYDRA parasite hiding in SHIELD’s belly. “Maybe SI isn’t the only part of my father’s legacy which needs to clean house.” He walks away and leaves Fury staring into the darkening horizon.

Two days later Coulson turns up with the crates from SHIELD filled with Howard’s work and Tony has an excuse to replace the palladium core.

Chapter Four: Terrifying Team-Ups

Plan A

Tony eased into his parking spot in front of the Compound and sighed heavily. He’d rather face the UN panel than Spiderkid’s hot Aunt May. It had barely been a couple of weeks since she’d discovered her nephew’s secret and he couldn’t blame her for being furious every time Peter got himself into trouble.

Unfortunately the kid didn’t know how to stay out of trouble.

Peter had been helping a school friend with a gang problem and he’d almost been overwhelmed by the sheer number of opponents by the time Tony had been able to reach him and lend a hand. The evening had ended with most of the gang in the custody of the police and Peter sporting nothing more serious than a whole lot of bruises.

Tony rubbed a hand over his face and got out his car, leaving the Iron Man suitcase in the trunk. He was ready to snuggle up with Pepper and call it a night. But maybe a sandwich first, since saving Peter had interrupted his dinner. He breezed into the residential wing debating sandwich fillings and stopped dead at the sight of the visitors ensconced in the seating area.

A blonde Natasha looked back at him evenly, her expression as impassive as ever as she continued to sit comfortably in the overstuffed armchair. Clint got to his feet and gave a sharp nod but his eyes were guarded, wary. Laura smiled warmly at Tony from the sofa next to her husband but didn’t get up since she had a toddler to wrangle on her lap. The other two Barton kids were on the rug playing with toys Tony didn’t recognise; an entranced Vision sat on the ottoman nearby watching them avidly.

Tony slowly walked forward to stand beside the two-seater sofa where Pepper sat. His eyes flitted to Rhodey sat beside Pepper and wasn’t surprised when Rhodey just made ‘don’t ask me’ eyes in response to Tony’s unspoken ‘what’s going on’ eyebrow twitch.

Pepper cleared her throat and got to her feet. Like Tony, who was in jeans and an old long-sleeved t-shirt, she had dressed down that evening in leggings and an oversize MIT sweatshirt that had once belonged to Tony; her feet were bare.

“We have guests.” She announced cheerfully and kissed him. She slid her hand into his and she squeezed his fingers gently.

“So I see.” Tony replied, squeezing back.

Pepper smiled. “Laura,” she said, “why don’t I show you and the kids to the apartment and let these guys catch-up?”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Laura said brightly.

It must have taken a few minutes for the children to be corralled but it felt like no time at all before the Avengers were left staring after the two women as they disappeared from view.

“Does anyone else find the two of them teaming up mildly terrifying?” asked Clint bluntly.

“I wouldn’t say mildly.” Rhodey stated.

“Yep,” Tony agreed, “I’d just go for terrifying.”

Natasha rolled her eyes at them, and for a second, it felt normal – but only for a second. Then silence fell and they all looked at each other.

“Well, this is awkward.” Tony blurted out.

Clint grimaced but didn’t disagree.

Natasha set her teacup aside and got to her feet gracefully. “Tony…”

“Look, Fury explained. Let’s just…not.” Tony said, desperate not to rake over the way they’d managed to fuck things up. He had briefed Rhodey and Vision about Fury’s rooftop visitation so it wasn’t like they didn’t know either.

“You mean we just ignore what’s happened instead of dealing with it like adults?” Natasha lifted an eyebrow.

Tony ignored the hefty sigh Rhodey heaved out. “Exactly.”    

“Works for me.” Clint said as Natasha opened her mouth to argue.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“What?” Clint said roughly as Natasha glared at him. “I told Fury it was a stupid plan.” He glanced over to Tony an apology shining in his eyes even if it wasn’t spoken out loud.

Tony held his gaze and didn’t say a thing as he did the same.

“All in favour of ignoring all the stupid?” Clint raised his hand.

Tony raised his straight away.

Rhodey sighed again but he eventually raised his hand.

Natasha rolled her eyes expressively at Clint and raised hers.

They all looked at Vision who seemed to be looking on with undisguised interest.

“According to most professionals skilled in mediation an open and honest discussion of events is necessary for individuals involved in a conflict to move forward without the hurts of the past colouring future interactions.” Vision said.

Tony was torn between amusement and horror, and from the looks of the others it was a shared conundrum. He opened his mouth to say something – anything –

“However, I find myself most reluctant to take part in any discussion.” Vision concluded. He raised his hand.

“Right! Good!” Tony dropped his arm. He slumped to his left and ended up perched on the arm of the sofa Pepper had vacated. “So, apart from the discussion we’re not having, what brings you by?”

Natasha sat down gracefully and picked up her teacup. “You’re a little short on personnel. We thought we’d offer our services.”

That wasn’t surprising. Tony figured it was Fury attempting to take the wheel again but it wasn’t like he could afford to turn away the support. Spiderkid might have made the right decision not to join the Avengers, and Tony was proud of Peter, but the Avengers were short-handed with only Tony and Vision operationally fit, even if Rhodey could lend a hand through a remote interface to a suit.

Tony’s gaze went straight to Clint. “Retirement?”

“I’m about as retired as you are.” Clint said pointedly as he sank back onto the sofa. “I’ll sign the Accords. It wasn’t about that for me, you know. Laura…she and the kids…we’re all going to be staying here now that way they get to see me and we can keep them safe. Pepper said something about a family apartment?”

Tony nodded. They’d changed up the residential layout in the redesign of the Compound. There were still single rooms and communal areas for those who wanted them, but otherwise there were small apartments complete with their own living spaces and multiple bedrooms.

“You’ll need to provide a statement to the UN panel about what happened. They may ask for a secondary hearing to question you directly.” Tony said.

Clint and Natasha inclined their heads in understanding.

“I have zero problems telling them exactly how my rights were trampled all over.” Clint remarked. “And what Ross did to Wanda? That wasn’t right.”

Tony cleared his throat, giving voice to the question which had been nagging at him. “She not with you?”

Clint shook his head. “She was messed up when we got out.”

Tony winced at the hint of accusation.

“Not your fault.” Clint hurried out. “I know Ross is to blame for that but…it was bad.”

“Fury arranged for her to stay with Xavier.” Natasha said, lifting her legs to curl into the chair better. “Wanda agreed after talking with the Professor.”

“He was good with her.” Clint said softly.

“That’s good.” Tony said. He felt guilty but Charles Xavier was probably the best person to help her. He and his team had a good history with telepathy and telekinesis. It would certainly fulfil the UN’s requirement that she receive additional training.

“Is Miss Maximoff allowed visitors?” asked Vision suddenly.

“Yeah,” Clint nodded, and his expression was sympathetically compassionate as he looked over at Vision, “I was going to go over there tomorrow if you’d like to come along?”

Tony figured the offer was an olive branch after the way Clint and Wanda had treated Vision.

“I would like that. Thank you.” Vision rose to his feet. “I think I will retire to my own quarters now.” He floated away before anything else could be said.

“I bet you ten dollars he’s going to turn up in the morning with a bouquet of flowers for her.” Clint said jokingly.

“Chocolates,” offered Natasha.

“As long as he doesn’t try to cook something for her.” Rhodey said, shaking his head. “Do not eat that stuff. Even DUM-E does better.”

“DUM-E is older.” Tony pointed out.

“Uh-huh.” Rhodey agreed with amusement. “I think I’m going to hit the sack too.” He got to his feet slowly, allowing the walking braces to support him. He nodded over to Clint and Natasha. “Good to have you back.”

Tony forced himself not to follow as Rhodey walked stiffly out of the room.

“He’s doing well.” Natasha said.

Tony shrugged because Rhodey had good days when he was almost normal and bad days when he retreated to the wheelchair and stayed in his rooms. Helen Cho’s new Cradle had helped heal the worst of the spinal damage but there was more to overcome. “He’s getting there.”

There was a ‘blink and miss it’ exchange between Natasha and Clint, and Tony wasn’t surprised when Clint got to his feet and excused himself.

The archer paused after a couple of steps and turned back to Tony. “For what it’s worth, Tony, I am sorry.”

“Me too. I’m sorry too.” Tony said a touch awkwardly, but he met Clint’s gaze.

Clint nodded, sketched a salute and made off in the direction of his family.

“Who knew?” said Natasha dryly. “You can both act like adults.”

Tony shot her an annoyed look.  

She looked back evenly. “I’m not going to apologise for letting them go at the airport. It was necessary.” Her words are clipped, her accent faintly shining through. “I am sorry you had to find out the way you did about your parents.”

“I thought we agreed we weren’t doing this.” Tony said shortly, surging to his feet.

“Tony…”

“Why?” asked Tony abruptly, swinging back around to look at her, his hands pushed into the pockets to hide the way they wanted to clench into fists. “Why not tell me?”

Natasha stood up and faced him fully. She crossed her arms over the crisp white shirt she was wearing. Her chin was up just a touch, a hint of her usual defiance. “After SHIELD fell, it wasn’t top of my priority list, and by the time I could think about it, the team – we were working together well. Telling you would have only destabilised us; Steve isn’t rational when it comes to Barnes and you were never going to be rational about the person who killed your parents.”

She wasn’t wrong; after all, she’d pretty much summarised why the clusterfuck in Siberia had gone down the way it did.

Tony caught her gaze and held it. “You need to stop playing both sides.”

“You need to stop making this about your pride.” Natasha shot back.

Tony tensed; anger surging through him.

Natasha suddenly seemed to realise that she’d misjudged. “Tony…”

“If you really think that this is about my pride,” Tony said furiously, “then you should get out.”

Natasha didn’t move.

Tony spun away from her. He looked blindly out of the window into the grounds of the Compound. The silence stretched between them.

Tony sighed. He’d never been good at silence. “You know I get that you don’t like me.”

He glanced over just in time to see surprise flit across her face for a millisecond.

“I was an ass when you and I met. I think I have a reasonable excuse for acting like an ass since I was dying.” Tony continued as he turned his attention back to the outside. “I was dying and making bad decisions because I didn’t know how to deal with it. I also seem to remember you even encouraged me to make bad decisions but hey, I was an ass and I get why you don’t like me.”

Natasha stayed silent, but he felt her eyes on him.

“I thought when we were…when we came together as a team,” Tony gestured impatiently, “I thought you’d realised that I might be an ass, but I’m mostly a well-meaning ass even if you never agreed with me on anything.” He barked out a short laugh. “Really I should have known it was a set-up when you suddenly agreed with me on the Accords.” He shook his head and turned back to her. “Doesn’t matter. Prefer Rogers, take his side, think I’m an ass. I don’t care. Just stop being such a patronising bitch when I call you out on it.”

Natasha waited a beat.

“Can I speak now or would you like to berate me some more for doing my damn job?” She cut him off before he could speak again. “You hate that I fooled you, and you’ve never let it go. Maybe if you could let it go for one damn minute you’d see that I’m not playing both sides; I’m trying to keep us together.”

She turned away from him and folded her arms over her chest.

Tony tapped his fingers on his chest, vaguely aware it was where the arc reactor had sat. “So when you tell me to stop with my ego what you’re saying is that I should get over being fooled by you?”

“Mostly.” Natasha said coolly, turning back to him. “I also mean stop being an ass.” She paused. “Even a well-meaning ass.”

And suddenly Tony was just tired.

“Not trusting you has never been about my ego.” Tony said wearily and waved her off when she would have argued. “Not really. Yeah, you fooled me, but I get that Fury sent you in to spy on me and you did your job. I get that. But it’s not a great basis for trust. Fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice…” He sighed. “Just be straight with me. That’s all I’m asking.” He tried a smile. “And I’ll try to be less of an ass.”

Natasha regarded him for a long moment before she gave a slow nod. “And Steve?”

“Needs to sort his own mess out.” Tony shot back. He wasn’t going to discuss that with her.

She nodded again. “Goodnight, Tony.”

He watched as she slipped away. He turned back to the window and rested his forehead on the cool glass.

“Hey, you.”  Pepper said softly.

Her arms encircled him and Tony twisted into her embrace, suddenly aware of how he was trembling, faintly shaking from all his emotions surging up again; the grief and pain and loss…

And Pepper just kept holding him tightly; holding him together.

Plan Z

The main stage of the Stark Expo is lit up below him. It’s built as though they’re putting on a rock concert not just celebrating the latest in technology and scientific discoveries. Once a week, there’ll be a main presentation and demonstration with top of the line audio-visual equipment. Tonight is opening night and nerves crowd Tony’s belly as he flies in.

The Expo in the last timeline was all about Tony wanting to leave a legacy because he was dying and he’s not this time thanks to the new core in his arc reactor. He’s gone ahead with the Expo mainly because of timeline continuity and also because it will help rehabilitate his own image.

For that reason, much of the previous glamour and glitz has been toned down in favour of corporate slick presentations, think tank lectures, and rotating debates on any number of scientific theories. There are no dancing girls entertaining the crowd. One conference hall is filled with booths of companies displaying things for sale and investment, and Stark Industries is donating the marketing revenue to selected good causes around the world.

There’s also a known threat.

Coulson had turned up the week before and briskly informed Tony about Justin Hammer employing Ivan Vanko, and that they believed there would be an attempt on Tony’s life at the Stark Expo. SHIELD apparently have an agent buried in Hammer Industries. (Tony’s not stupid enough to believe they don’t have someone in SI too but there’s no sign of Natalie Rushman yet).

SHIELD are providing Tony with free protection until they can take down Hammer and Vanko, but apparently Tony doesn’t need to worry about the details and should go about his business as usual. That particular statement when Tony had recounted the meeting to Pepper had provoked Pepper into asking ‘what the hell’ because Pepper is awesome.

Tony pushes thoughts of SHIELD, Hammer and Vanko out of his head.

Iron Man lands with panache in the middle of the Stark Expo stage. Tony smiles as the suit dismantles itself around him revealing his smart tuxedo. He cheekily adjusts his bowtie, straightens his cuffs and steps out of the suit which reassembles and walks off to the side to take up a sentinel position. Tony may have been careful not to move too many steps ahead in advancing the latest Iron Man suit, but disassembling is must (he knows he’s walking a fine line with causality).

It’s the first time Iron Man has been shown off in a public venue. All Tony’s missions are classified, and any footage is released to the public carefully and only with the full agreement from his oversight panel. They’d agreed to tonight’s demo though and Tony happily shows off the red and gold suit to the geeks and nerds crowded into the open air arena.

“Welcome to the Stark Expo!” Tony announces brightly and begins his presentation. It’s not so much about Iron Man but about the technological advancements which are going to come out of Tony’s work; prosthetics, improved body armour, the arc reactor and clean energy primarily.

He’s almost finished. He’s onto the question and answer section. He’s enjoying himself. He’s already fielded queries about the importance of knowing human biology in the design of the armour, deflected (no pun intended) queries about the repulsors, and engaged in a lengthy exchange about affordable prosthetics with a physical therapist who he offers a job to on the spot. Then, Hammer steps up to ask a question at the audience microphone.

“Good to see you again, Tony!” Justin smarms into the microphone which he picks up from the stand. “We at Hammer Industries really admire the way you’ve turned your tragedy into success! Don’t we all feel that way? Come on! Give it up for Tony everyone!” With every word, he’s slowly making his way from the audience to the steps at the side of the stage.

One of the tech assistants goes to intercede but Tony shakes his head and Justin makes it onto the stage as the audience applauds sporadically, not sure what to make of SI’s biggest competitor making such a song and dance.

One thing Tony is certain about is that Justin has no stomach to kill him himself; he has Vanko for that and so far Tony hasn’t seen any hint of the tattooed Russian convict.

Tony smiles tightly. “What’s your question, Justin?”

“It’s more like a show and tell.” Justin jokes, winking at the audience. He gestures as he approaches the Iron Man suit. “Isn’t it true that the real gem in this suit – the heart of it if you will – is all about this beauty.” He raps against the suit’s glowing arc reactor because Tony has learned his lesson and his own doesn’t power the suits this time round.

Tony continues to smile. “Was that your question, Justin?”

Justin freezes just a touch but it’s enough for the audience to notice and some nervous twittering break out.

“Your Dad invented this, right? The great Howard Stark? A father to us all in the weapons industry it has to be said. He was the one to invent the arc reactor.” Justin recovers quickly, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“I think I might have mentioned that in my presentation, once or twice.” Tony turns to the audience who laugh appreciatively at his gently poking fun because Tony has mentioned it in his presentation. “And as I said, Dad worked with a team to make it happen.”

“Including Anton Vanko, right, Tony?” Justin retorts.

“Including Doctor Vanko.” Tony replies, happily taking Justin aback who was clearly unprepared for Tony to agree with him. “He contributed a lot to the initial design of the arc reactor before he was found guilty of espionage and deported.”

Justin blinks at Tony.

“So was that your question?” prods Tony. “Only I think we just have time for one more before we wrap up…”

The audience breaks out into loud denials and catcalls for more time.

Justin has to yell into the microphone to be heard. “HEY! I’M NOT FINISHED!”

“Get off the stage!” Someone from the audience shouts.

There’s a couple of boos which follow and Tony allows them before he raises a hand and quietens the audience down.

“Let’s give Justin another chance, right?” Tony says with mock sincerity. “Some people just take a while to get to the point.”

Justin glares at him. “Let me get straight to the point then, Tony. You may have the arc reactor but you’re not the only one! I’d like to welcome to the stage, Ivan Vanko and the Hammer arc reactor!” He spins to point at the stage-wing and there’s nobody there.

Nobody.

Tony makes a show of peering behind Justin before looking at the audience and shrugging.

Justin charges up to the side of the stage and glowers into the empty area. “But I thought…we just…he was supposed to be here!” He looks about ready to stamp his feet.

“Well, performance issues.” Tony jokes causing the audience to laugh. “All men get them or so I’m told!”

Natasha suddenly appears next to Justin from seemingly nowhere. She’s dressed in a black tailored dress with red stilettos adorning her feet. Her hair is curly and deep red, falling around her face in artful disarray. She looks beautiful and deadly as she takes hold of Justin’s arm.

“A round of applause for Justin!” Tony shouts. “Go with the lovely lady, Justin. She’ll take care of you.”

He takes another question before wrapping up and heading backstage, the suit following behind him like a puppy remotely piloted by JARVIS. Coulson is waiting for him.

“This way, Mister Stark.”

Tony doesn’t bother arguing, he just follows Coulson into Tony’s own very large trailer, leaving the Iron Man suit just outside. Natasha and Clint are already there with a babbling Justin and Vanko’s body which is wrapped up in what remains of the whips and bristling with arrows – one has been put straight through the arc reactor, another through Vanko’s eye. Tony can maybe understand why Justin is babbling since Clint is busily fondling an arrow in the corner and looking appropriately menacing.

Justin sees Tony and lurches towards him. “Tony! These people are crazy! You have to save…AHHH!” The taser nodes hit Justin with several volts of electricity and he falls to the ground.

Tony lifts an eyebrow at Coulson.

“My apologies for taking over your trailer but there is a delay with our exit vehicle.” Coulson says mildly, putting away the taser.

“Our first one got cut in half by a whip thing.” Clint remarks dryly.

Coulson shoots him a look which says ‘shut up.’ Clint stares back impassively with an amused smirk. Tony’s lips twitch with amusement. He’d never seen Coulson and Clint interact since Coulson had died before Clint had been recovered. It’s weird seeing them together but the novelty of finding out that Coulson considers Clint just as much a pain in the ass as Tony is hilarious.

“I like you.” Tony points at Clint. “And not just for the, uh, saving my life.”

Clint smiles back at him.

“Mister Stark, meet Agents Barton and Romanov.” Coulson says dryly. “I’m going to leave Agent Romanov with you to provide protection going forward. I believe she’ll prove an asset to you as your new assistant, Miss Rushman.”

“Why would I need protection going forward?” asks Tony, gesturing at the floor. “You seem to have this wrapped up. Literally.”

“You’re a target.” Natasha replies, crossing her arms in a way that draws attention to her cleavage.

Tony ignores the blatant invitation to look and get distracted. “I’ve always been a target.”

“But now you’re a red and gold shiny target.” Clint quips.

“So you want to protect Iron Man.” Tony says. “Not me.”

“We want to protect both of you.” Coulson says, shooting Clint another look. “Your time in Afghanistan brought home your importance to the economy and our country’s security. We have been lax in the past and Director Fury is keen to ensure we are not lax now.”

“I thought my Dad didn’t want SHIELD anywhere near me.” Tony says pointedly.

“He also wanted you safe and…”

The trailer door flies open and Pepper storms in, banging it shut behind her.

“Tony, why aren’t you…” Pepper jolts to a halt beside him and slaps a hand over her mouth at the sight of Hammer and Vanko. “Oh my God! Oh my God! Is that…”

“Pep! Pep!” Tony takes hold of her and turns her so she’s looking away from the bodies and at him.

“…are those bodies?! Is that Justin Hammer?!” Pepper clutches onto his arm. “Did you kill Justin Hammer?!”

“What? NO!” He grasps both her shoulders. “Pepper! Calm down! You remember Agent Coulson?” He waves at him.

Coulson to his credit does nothing more than nod. “Miss Potts.”

“Agent Coulson.” Pepper breathes deeply. Her eyes slide to Clint and Natasha before returning to Tony. “Why is Justin Hammer and another man lying on the floor of your trailer?”

“Agent tased Justin.” Tony says. “Which was tremendous. I’ve always wanted to do that. I think I should be allowed to at least once…”

“Tony…”

And there’s Pepper’s ‘start telling me exactly what you did so I can fix it’ tone.

“Unfortunately, Justin brought along Mister Vanko and he, uh, well, you remember that threat Agent warned us about…”

Pepper glares momentarily at Coulson again.

“Well, apparently Vanko was it.” Tony concludes. “But no need to worry because Agent Barton neutralised him with lots of arrows.”

Pepper’s eyes return to the bodies on the floor. She takes a deep breath. “And they’re in your trailer because?”

“Our vehicle was damaged in the fight with Mister Vanko.” Coulson says calmly. “Agent Barton and I will be leaving shortly. Agent Romanov will assume a position as Mister Stark’s assistant to provide protection going forward.”

“And I was just explaining that Agent Romanov will not be doing any such thing since the threat is over and I’m no more of a target now than I ever was.” Tony states immediately because he’s not putting up with Coulson trying to use Pepper to manage him again.

Pepper takes a deep breath. “OK.” She takes another breath and pats Tony’s hand which he’d left on her shoulder. “This is what is going to happen.”

She turns and glares at Coulson which – woah! – Tony doesn’t think he’s ever seen Pepper glare at anyone like that before.  Well, maybe Killian just before Pepper stuck a missile in him.

“You, Agent Coulson,” Pepper states firmly, “are going to remove Mister Vanko and Justin Hammer from this trailer and ensure no negative publicity touches SI or Tony about this incident. Also, the arc reactor is patented SI property and Mister Vanko’s illegal version should be left in this trailer. If these two things do not happen then I will not hesitate to use every weapon SI manufactures to raze SHIELD to the ground until nothing is left including your Director’s eye-patch. Is that clear?”

Tony just looks at her with glee since Coulson’s unflappable demeanour looks a touch flustered in the face of Pepper’s anger.

“I’ll take care of it.” Coulson replies.

“Good.” Pepper turns to look at Natasha and her eyes rake over her. “I’m afraid Agent Romanov will not be acceptable.”

Tony doesn’t have to see Natasha’s face to see how that goes down. “Now, Pep…”

“No, Tony.” Pepper says forcefully. “Apart from the security issues with having a known spy be your assistant, you’ve been working really hard to clean up your image, and you and I both know what the press will think if a beautiful young woman is suddenly taken on as ‘your assistant.’”

“Fair point.” Tony murmurs, and wonders how he had missed that particular nuance of SHIELD’s manipulation the first time round.

Natasha assesses him with a cool gaze and he wonders if that was part of what they had planned for him this time.

Pepper looks around him to Clint. “You…you got rid of Vanko?”

“Uh,” Clint looks surprised to be addressed and automatically straightens, “yes, ma’am.”

“So if Tony needs protection, you can be Tony’s driver and bodyguard.” Pepper says.

“Miss Potts,” Coulson begins.

Pepper just looks at him.

Coulson folds like a bad hand of cards. “Agent Barton.”

“Yes, sir.” Clint is having a hard time keeping the laughter out of his voice.

“You’ll be taking over Agent Romanov’s assignment as Mister Stark’s driver and bodyguard.” Coulson sounds like he hates saying every word.

Natasha’s expression softens and Tony figures she’s just as amused as Clint.

“What about Happy?” asks Tony, because his erstwhile friend is already waiting for him by the car.

“Happy can accompany me back to Malibu.” Pepper offers. “I need a driver anyway since you’ll be staying in New York more with the Expo for the next few months.”

Tony beams at Pepper. “You’re magnificent.  I owe you a pair of shoes – no, two pairs of shoes.  You should get right on that.”

She smiles back at him warmly. Tony thinks of his plans to start romancing her and grins back rather than invite her to dinner, because she won’t be pleased if he invites her to dinner when there’s a body on the floor.

“Will that be all, Mister Stark?” Pepper asks brightly.

“That will be all, Miss Potts.” Tony says, grinning madly at her.

Pepper shoots one last distasteful look at the floor and leaves the trailer.

Clint whistles. “She’s…”

“Brilliant.” Tony offers.

“I was going with terrifying.” Clint says.

“That too.” Tony agrees happily.

Chapter Five: A God Among Men

Plan A

Thor arrived back on a suitably rainy Thursday, sombre and grimly determined.

Tony took a moment to stare open-mouthed at the spaceship which dropped Thor off, and then at Thor’s haircut, before he got swept up in ushering his Asgardian friend inside to the communal kitchen.

Laura greeted them cheerfully but if sensing the seriousness of whatever discussion was about to happen, she deftly corralled the Barton family minus Clint and left the Avengers to talk business.

“You’re missing a hammer.” Tony noted as he handed over a beer for Thor.

“Hela, the Goddess of Death and my older sister, destroyed it and my eye.” Thor said sadly, touching the dark eye-patch gently. “It’s part of the reason why I return.”

“So, I’m getting the impression you’re not just back to catch up?” Clint remarked. He took a beer from Tony and raised it at Thor.

Rhodey took a beer and clinked it gently against Tony’s. “I think we’re all getting that impression.”

“You went in search of information, did you not? Have you obtained it since your last visit?” Vision looked over at Thor with what Tony had deemed his puppy-dog expression. Vision had been enamoured with Thor during the short time they’d spent together. Tony figured it was partially due to owing his lifeforce to Thor’s lightning. Thor was as much his creator as Tony, Bruce and JARVIS. It was a complicated family tree, Tony considered.

Thor nodded soberly. “Unfortunately, it is not good news.”

The tale of Ragnarok and Asgard falling chilled them all. Somehow the news that Loki was alive wasn’t entirely surprising. Neither was the news about Thanos and his quest to gather the infinity stones to become all powerful and kill all life as they knew it in some mad sacrifice to Death. They’d known something big was coming. Tony had known it from the moment he’d taken the nuke through the portal.

Natasha accepted another cup of tea and looked over at Thor. “You said you’d seen Bruce?”

“He was transformed into himself for only a short time before we needed Hulk.” Thor said.

“How did he get into space?” Natasha pressed.

“I do not know for certain, but it appeared he went through a portal. The ship’s log was not complete.”

“But he was alive when you saw him last.” Natasha held his gaze firmly.

“He was.” Thor said. “However, I cannot say what became of him beyond the moment I was cast out into space by the Mad Titan.”

“We’ll need to convene the UN panel and have you inform them of the threat.” Tony said rubbing his forehead. “How much time do you think we have?”

Thor frowned. “Not enough I fear.”

Tony nodded. That sounded about right.

Thor looked around the room. “If the others are on a mission, I can retrieve them?”

Tony glanced around the group and saw them all looking back at him. “Rogers and Wilson are wanted as international criminals.”

Thor shook his head as though he hadn’t heard correctly. “What crime did they commit?”

Tony sighed. “Anyone else want to jump in here?”

“Noooo.” Natasha eased away from where she was resting on the breakfast bar and pointedly hid her face in her teacup.

Clint raised his beer. “All yours.”

Rhodey raised his eyebrows which was Rhodey-speak for ‘this is yours.’

“I believe we all feel you are best able to explain events.” Vision offered almost apologetically.

Tony’s thumb worried at the beer label and he set the drink down. “Right. So. After Sokovia, the UN…” he paused and shot a look at Thor. “Uh, the UN…”

“The Lady Darcy informed me of your United Nations.” Thor said.

He only vaguely remembered Jane Foster’s sassy assistant but Lewis got kudos for educating Thor, Tony thought.

“Right, so they sent in a team of inspectors to investigate. We were cleared of any malicious or negligent actions in Ultron’s creation…” he gestured, “while Ultron did a good job of trashing everything on his way out, the footage and records which I retrieved and handed over as evidence did show the interface we were working on was not ready when Ultron activated.”

“Long story short; we don’t know how Ultron happened.” Clint added.

“Alien artefact with a mind of its own.” Tony shrugged. “We might never know what set it off but as far as it could be determined, it wasn’t down to us.”

“Then I owe you an apology, Stark.” Thor said gravely.

“You backed us up when it came to Vision.” Tony said. “That meant a lot.”

Thor inclined his head.

“Anyway, the upshot of the UN inspection was a recommendation for the Avengers to be subject to more oversight.” Tony continued. “They drafted a document called the Sokovia Accords which laid out the framework and over a hundred countries agreed it should be ratified.” He held up a hand to stop the obvious next question. “We weren’t asked for input. We tried to find a way in but nobody was talking to us.”

“Until it was presented to us as a done deal.” Natasha commented.

“It was presented that way because things went FUBAR in Lagos and people died. The UN wanted the document ratified sooner because of that.” Rhodey corrected. “And there was a process for amendments.”

Natasha inclined her head in acceptance.

“Unfortunately, the person who brought them to us was the then Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross.” Tony said. “He was the military General who chased after Bruce so nobody liked the messenger. But the message itself? Well, we had a difference of opinion in the team.”

“Some of us believed signing up to the Accords was the right thing to do.” Rhodey took a few minutes to lay out the basic terms of the Accords and Tony was pleased when Thor nodded along to the main points.

“In the end,” Tony added, “some of us figured we should listen to the countries who thought we’d gotten too careless and needed boundaries.”

“Steve wanted us to remain independent.” Natasha explained succinctly. “He didn’t want us to be under anybody’s control where we could be used to further an agenda we didn’t believe in or agree with.”

Thor’s face crumpled into another frown. “Darcy told me the UN is an international forum to enable peace-keeping, mediation, constructive discussion and concerted efforts to prevent another world war.”

Really good for Darcy, Tony thought. She deserved a new taser or something.

“Are these not aims upon which we would all agree?” asked Thor with a solemnity befitting a king.

“Exactly.” Rhodey lifted his beer.

“Our Captain is not here then because he did not agree to these Accords?” Thor prompted, looking back towards Tony.

“Partly,” Tony said, “Rogers did indicate he would sign-up with safeguards but it wasn’t just about the Accords.”

“A former Sokovian Colonel bombed the UN Assembly at the ratification of the Accords in Vienna and framed the Winter Soldier, Captain Roger’s friend James Barnes, for the incident.” Vision supplied briskly. “The Captain and Mister Wilson obstructed the taskforce of the Joint Counter-Terrorism Unit when they were deployed to arrest Sergeant Barnes. Sergeant Barnes violently resisted arrest and collapsed a road tunnel to further obstruct law enforcement. His Majesty King T’Challa who was seeking revenge for the death of his father in Vienna also obstructed the taskforce.”

“Unfortunately, nobody knew about Zemo right then.” Tony jumped back in. “Rogers didn’t know Barnes hadn’t done it.”

“He believed he was best placed to bring Barnes in safely.” Natasha stressed.

“And he’d been told Barnes would be shot on sight.” Clint lifted a hand. “He wanted to protect his friend.”

“But it made things worse.” Natasha sighed. “Because Steve hadn’t signed the Accords, his actions looked…”

“Arrogant.” Thor supplied. “As though he had no care.”

“We can give you the blow by blow later,” Tony said, “but Zemo continued to disrupt things using Barnes which meant Rogers went off the reservation and he dragged Wilson, Clint, Wanda and some other guy with him, and of course Ross took advantage of the situation. We ended up fighting each other.”

“Basically Ross, the douchebag, proves Steve’s point for him about using the Avengers under the Accords for his own agenda.” Clint stated.

Tony paused to swallow around the lump in his throat. “When I get the evidence Barnes is being framed, I go to Siberia to help them with Zemo, who they think has other Winter Soldiers on ice.”

“What happens in Siberia?” asked Thor pointedly because he’d caught the catch in Tony’s voice he’d thought he’d covered.

Tony grimaced. “Zemo wasn’t interested in the Winter Soldiers. He had video evidence of Barnes…of him killing my parents. I may not have reacted well.”

Thor looked at him thoughtfully. “Steven knew?”

Tony gave a sharp nod. “Didn’t tell me, obviously.”

“You fought.” Thor summarised. “You wished to avenge your parents and the Captain sought once more to protect his friend.”

“In a nutshell.” Tony agreed.

“Steve broke the rest of us out of prison and soon after that Tony convinced the UN panel to sanction Ross who, thank the President, finally lost his job in the fallout, and most of our actions got stamped as being in good faith because of the threat we believed was present.” Clint explained. “Nat and I came back when we were officially cleared and signed the Accords.”

“And the witch?” asked Thor. “Where is she?”

Clint bristled. “Wanda was mistreated in prison, Thor.”

Thor held up a hand rather than argue. “Peace.”

“Miss Maximoff is staying with Charles Xavier. She is making good progress in controlling her powers and recovering from her time as a prisoner.” Vision offered.

“Steve on the other hand is on the run. He’s wanted for the obstruction charges, same with Sam and Barnes.” Natasha said.

“Hence they’re considered criminals.” Clint said, his tone giving away his unhappiness with that.

“It is a pity.” Thor said. “We cannot afford division when we face Thanos. Do we not know of any means to contact them?”

Tony shrugged. “I have a way to contact Rogers.”

Nobody looked surprised although he had never told them.

Clint caught his gaze. “Maybe it’s time to reach out. We’re going to need them.”

Tony sighed and gestured at Natasha and Rhodey. “We’ll need to bring the UN panel on this. Can you…”

“We’ll make the arrangements.” Natasha agreed.

Tony set his beer down and headed to his workshop.

He opened a drawer and lifted out the phone Rogers had sent him. He kept it charged just in case because he’d known, he’d always known, he’d have to call it sooner or later. He sat down and placed it on the desk in front of him. His heart was pounding. He pressed a hand against his chest where his arc reactor had once sat.

“It is not easy to reach out for help, especially to one who has betrayed your trust.”

Thor’s voice sounded behind him and Tony jerked around, startled. He caught Thor’s eye briefly, surprised by the compassion and understanding within the solemn gaze, and turned away again to look at the phone.

“You did it with Loki, right? That whole convergence thing? And again with Hela?”

Thor moved to lean against the workbench just behind Tony and Tony turned to face him.

“My love for Jane, the need for her to be saved and for us to defeat the Elves to save all the realms, and most recently to save Asgard from Hela…these things were greater than my hurt at Loki’s betrayals.” Thor said, crossing his arms over his formidable chest. “But it was difficult not least because he is my brother and I love him.”

“I get why Steve protected Barnes.” Tony admitted. “If it had been Rhodey…” he shook his head because while he wasn’t certain he’d have done exactly the same as Steve, he didn’t doubt he’d have done something, “…so I understand why.”

“But regardless his actions caused you hurt.” Thor said quietly.

Tony didn’t think he needed to reply to that. “I really don’t know if I can work with him again.”

“I am certain you will,” Thor’s hand landed heavily on his shoulder, “your love for those in your heart and for this world is far greater than the hurt he has caused you.”

Tony bowed his head. “Barnes killed my Mom.” He said softly as though if he talked quietly enough it would somehow make it not real.

Thor’s fingers carefully stroked up to squeeze the back of Tony’s neck, but it was a comforting squeeze; a shared hurt because Thor had lost his Mom too and understood.

Tony took a deep breath and raised his head. He turned and picked up the phone. He glanced back over his shoulder. “You don’t need to stay, Point Break.”

“I would be a poor friend if I did not.” Thor countered.

And, OK, that right there was why Thor was a godly king among men. Tony made the call.

Plan Z

Tony slides into the seat next to Thor at the bar and gives him a smile, momentarily taken aback at seeing Thor with long hair again. Thor smiles tentatively back with curiosity in his startling blue eyes. Two blue eyes. Tony shakes off his disconcertment before Thor can notice it.

“I’m Tony. He’s Clint.” He introduces himself and Barton quickly, before he gestures to the bartender to bring another round. Somehow, he’s not surprised at the boilerplates that arrive.

Clint sighs beside him, ignores the shot of clear liquid which Tony is betting is tequila, but takes a gulp of beer with an expression which says he deserves beer since Tony dragged him off site from the hammer to follow Selvig and ‘Donald’ to the bar.

Tony winces as Thor immediately downs the shot and begins to down the tankard of beer. He gamely downs his own shot and grimaces at the hit of cheap liquor. He’s not entirely certain that was tequila.

“Tony Stark?!” Erik Selvig arrives back from the bathroom and stares at Tony in astonishment.

Tony places a finger up to his lips and gestures for Selvig to sit down. Clint is already watching to make sure nobody heard. “Just passing through, Doctor Selvig.” He’d even dressed down in jeans, t-shirt and hoodie.

“You know my name?!” Erik almost collapses onto the stool beside Thor and gestures at Tony. “He’s Tony Stark.”

“You are important in this realm?” Thor asks, looking again at Tony as though he can’t believe Tony is somebody important.

Tony’s about to reply but Selvig beats him to it.

“He’s a genius.” Selvig states enthusiastically. “He’s been at the forefront of our technology advancements since he was a boy. He’s primarily an expert in weapons design but he holds two doctorates, one in physics and one in engineering. His paper on the gravitational forces of planets in an expanding universe and the practical application in aeronautical navigation is mandatory reading for all physicists and engineers. It’s brilliant.” He points at Tony. “Brilliant. I mean he’s also an idiot. But brilliant.”

“Thank you.” Tony says dryly. “I’m particularly proud of the idiot part.”

Selvig stares suspiciously at Clint and drunkenly leans over Thor to whisper loudly at Tony. “Has SHIELD abducted you too?”

Tony almost laughs. He can’t quite believe he’s in New Mexico but apparently realising how terrifying Pepper could be had gained him points with Coulson. He takes a gulp of the beer.

“I’m here consulting, namely about the hammer.” Tony points at Thor. “Your hammer, right?”

Erik pauses in his beer drinking to mouth the words ‘hammer’ at Tony who ignores him.

“Mjölnir is no longer mine to wield.” Thor states sadly, putting his glass down with some force. “I am no longer worthy because I was arrogant and courted war. My father exiled me here to learn this lesson.”

Tony nods. “Weapons shouldn’t be in the hands of those who’d court war for war’s sake. I was arrogant, well still am but getting better-ish? Just…I let my weapons end up in the hands of people who aren’t worthy and now I’m working to correct that.”

“Weapons should be in the hands of heroes.” Selvig says slurring. “You said that on Oprah.”

“I am no hero.” Thor says miserably. “With my father’s death I can no longer return home and prove myself to him.”

Tony nods sympathetically but his mind is racing. He really, really can’t remember anything about Odin dying before Thor’s tale of Ragnarok. Did that happen? Or is this something to do with Odin-sleep? He should have paid more attention to Thor’s stories.

“You can still be a hero.” Tony says. “And presumably your Dad meant for you to prove yourself here otherwise why send the hammer with you?”

“You really think so?” asks Thor.

He looks so damn young.

“I do.” Tony says. “I think if he didn’t believe you could prove yourself worthy of it again, he wouldn’t have placed it within your reach.”

“You speak wisely, Stark.” Thor says. “Or perhaps I simply wish to believe you are right.”

Clint’s cell phone rings and he shoots Tony a ‘I told you so’ look before answering.

“OK, so that’s probably Supernanny telling me off for sneaking out, so…” Tony offers his hand, “Good luck, Thor. If you ever need a friend, come find me.”

“Thank you, Stark.” Thor raises his empty glass and sets it down.

Clint nudges Tony, who throws down enough bills to cover their drinks and more, and they head out of the smoky bar and into the crisp cold air of a New Mexico night.

“You really think he’s Thor, the God of Thunder Thor, and that thing is his magical hammer?” asks Clint as they walk over to their SHIELD issued car – well, liberated because Coulson hadn’t exactly issued them a car.

“Look,” Tony says, pausing and leaning over the car roof, “you have a major atmospheric disturbance in the presence of a scientist who studies Einstein-Rosen bridge theory, a hammer not conforming to any normal reading remotely associated with Earth metallurgy, and a man who claims he’s Thor. You do the math.”

“I guess I’ve heard of crazier things.” Clint allows.

“Really?” Tony blurts out.

“No.” Clint shoots back. “Get in the car, Tony. Coulson says consult is over and we’re to head back to New York. Your jet’s waiting for us at Albuquerque.”

Tony raises his hands in surrender. He’s already advised Coulson that he thinks they should evacuate the town and been ignored. He knows the locals all escaped without major injury last time so he can only hope it will hold true again. It’s difficult sometimes knowing what to change and what he shouldn’t.

But he’s had the opportunity to make friends with Thor early this time and he doesn’t think that’s a bad thing.

He and Clint are back in New York when Coulson calls to tell them Thor has turned out to be a worthy superhero, and both he and the hammer are gone.

Continued in From A to Z: Part 2