Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The air was thick with smoke, ash, and the sounds of battle. Thanos fought him off and managed to slide his hand into the gauntlet, despite their best efforts. Tony warily met Strange's eyes, both their faces bloodied and battered. The sorcerer lifted his hand, holding up a single scarred finger, his eyes haunted. Peter swung by in his periphery, webbing up a Chitahuri, and Tony's heart stuttered as he interpreted Strange's signal. Steeling his resolve, thinking of Morgan and Peter, Tony dove at Thanos, grabbing his forearm and hand as Tony deployed the nanotech gauntlet he’d created. Thanos threw him off easily and Tony stumbled back along the battle torn ground. He watched Thanos lift his gauntlet; his eyes never leaving Tony’s as he put his thumb and fingers together.

"I am inevitable." Thanos snapped his fingers.

When nothing happened, Thanos' face went slack with surprise, staring at his hand. Bringing up his own gauntlet, where the Infinity Stones gleamed like bits of stars, Tony gave him a grim smirk, already feeling the incredible power of the Stones even through his armor. His mind flashed to his baby girl, Morgan, who Happy was keeping safe, and Harley, his first accidental child acquisition. Tony knew Rhodey, his brother, and Peter, his son in all but blood, were here, battling beside him. And his Pepper, who he loved beyond life, was fighting across the battleground. They would all be safe and they would take care of each other.

And, hopefully, remember him fondly. Squaring his shoulders and pinning Thanos with a piercing look, Tony braced himself, the stones' power already starting to course through him.

"And I. Am. Iron Man."

Snapping his fingers, Tony was panic stricken for a split second as nothing seemed to happen and then the world dropped into slow motion. There was a roar in his ears as pain seared its way from his fingertips to encompass his whole body, an excruciating burning. He stumbled backward and slumped down, resting back against the debris. Rhodey was there instantly, a hand carding through Tony’s hair; after all this time, they didn’t need words. Peter threw himself down in front of him, his hands on Tony’s chest, already rambling. Tony could hear him, like he was at the end of a tunnel, and he tried to smile.

"-we won! Tony, we won-"

Something hitched in his chest as he saw the tears in Peter’s eyes, but he couldn’t answer. Then Pepper was there, gently moving Peter back into Rhodey’s arms and Tony felt relieved. There was so much he wanted to say to her, and he managed to whisper her name as he moved his left hand up to cover hers over the arc reactor.

"Tony, we're going to be okay," her voice was firm, soft. "You can rest now."

Tony took one last breath and embraced the inky blackness he slipped into, Pepper's face the last thing he saw. A feeling of peace infused his body, sweeping away the indescribable pain he'd felt. Sighing deeply, Tony felt hazy and floaty, like he was drifting on a current in warm, gently moving water. Peter’s last words to him, told him he’d succeeded in his task and that helped to calm his usually frantic mind. Pepper had given him permission to rest. She knew he couldn't, wouldn't rest unless his loved ones, the family he'd built, were safe. He drifted silently, marveling at how gentle dying was – he'd expected something different: more heat, more pain, and, at least, some yelling.

Instead, there was a swirl of bright gem-tone colors, so bright he could see them even with his eyes shut, red and green, blue, purple, yellow, and orange. The green and orange seemed to pulse brighter as Tony tried to pry open his eyes, but to no avail. The red, as bright as the red on Peter's suit, started to glow, and Tony began to hear whispers, picking up words and phrases.

...change things…

…protect your boy – he is a focal point…

…embrace the remorseful…

…demolition of the reactor signals…

…universal destruction…

…false time travel will rip space apart…

…fracture time itself…

…stop the Titan…

The yellow pulsed slowly, growing brighter and blocking out the other colors.

Stone wielder, you have suffered mightily due to us, from your childhood forward. I've repaired the damage to your mind I was inadvertently the cause of. Space protects you through the reactor and the serum your father gave you as a child, while Time smiles on you. She will send you back to the point where the damage can be corrected and allow those most trusted to join you. All memories will be retained, and I will protect your minds.

Impossibly, Tony felt his brain tingle, like it was being scrubbed clean, and whatever the sensation was, it left behind a sense of calmness and clarity. The feeling didn’t last long, as his mind began to whirl again; thoughts of those he'd left behind, especially Morgan, Peter, and Harley. Had he failed to make the universe safe for them, for their future?

The Titan fractured this universe with his mad scheme of exploiting us; utilizing celestial powers he could never understand or control. Your sacrifice helped to interlace the broken strands, but your efforts were undermined by the further damage by the one you call Captain America. Announcing the future to the past and then returning to remain in the past, he destroyed the integrity of the timestream; he must repent. The boy you love, sacrifices everything to prevent the rifts rending apart the entire multiverse. The shadow man has earned life renewed. They will all assist.

Tony tried to gasp, tried to open his eyes, panic warring with the anger which welled in him. Sanctimonious, self-absorbed, selfish, lying son-of-a bitch! Pete wasn't safe, which meant none of them would be. He needed to go back, he needed to protect them, to keep his family safe. His thoughts turned frantic, his mind screaming to be sent back, to fix—

Be calm, wielder, you will go back; know we won't abandon you. Be measured in your actions, protect life, and plan carefully your strategies and revenge.

Tony awoke to the loud rumbling of large engines and the feeling of motion. Staying absolutely still, Tony tried to place his surroundings – taking in the ache in his chest and the throbbing throughout his body. He could feel the spike of pain in his right shoulder and the sling his right arm was confined to. Tony was leaning against someone, solid, muscled, and whom he’d trust enough to get this close to.

Rhodey.

He tried to take a deep breath, ecstatic his platypus was with him, and then became horror stricken when he felt an unfortunately familiar constriction in his chest. The arc reactor hummed in his chest; the metal warmer than it had ever been his first time through this – probably a concession given to him by the Space stone. Carefully, Tony straightened up, keeping his movement smooth so that Rhodey’s arm remained around his shoulders. Opening his eyes confirmed his suspicions that they were on an Air Force cargo jet, headed back to Edwards Air Force Base in California. Tony continued to lean against his best friend, taking the opportunity to go over what the Mind stone had told him while he was in — limbo?

Change things, one of the voices had whispered and he definitely would do that, but he needed to figure out the focal points. Those events which will be pivotal to changing what happens in the future. Tony made a mental note to work with JARVIS to create a list, including trying to predict the ripple effect the changes would cause.

JARVIS!

Tony drew in as deep a breath as he could through his nose to stop the prickly burning in the back of his eyes. He was back before the scepter would create Ultron and murder his AI, his child. He took another long, slow breath, hating the way his lungs felt when they were compressed by the casing in his chest. Blowing out the breath, Tony pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he again brought forward what the voices had said.

Protect his boy? Did the stones mean Peter? The Mind stone said his boy would sacrifice everything, which definitely sounded like Peter. Tony tried to remember the date, having been captured in February and released a week or two into May of 2009. Peter would be eight and had already lost his parents, Mary and Richard. Which meant he was living with his hot aunt, a nurse, and uncle, an officer, in Queens. Tony would figure out a way to gently ease his way into Peter’s life as he knew the spider bite wouldn't occur until Pete was thirteen.

Demolition of the reactor? Tony was sure that didn't mean the reactor in his chest and the one in Stark Tower wasn't damaged by the fight for New York. Which left the triggered disintegration of the arc reactor to defeat Stane. Tony remembered little from the actual event, having been knocked out – dead for a minute or so, really (if JARVIS was to be believed), until the arc reactor in his chest had rebooted his heart. He'd watched all the security and CCTV footage he could find and the resulting beam of light into the sky had resembled the beam which Selvig would utilize to create Loki's portal over New York. Contemplating what he remembered of the origins of the arc reactor, Tony knew that somehow Howard utilized the energy signature of the Tesseract to make the original reactor in the 1970s. It made sense, he supposed, especially with what the Mind stone had said about the Space stone protecting him through his miniature reactor.

Rhodey moved against him, almost toppling Tony over as he groaned and leaned forward, burying his head in his hands. Tony mirrored his groan as he righted himself, pulling on tender, sunburned skin, and strained muscles. He bumped against his friend, whose head snapped up and eyes went impossibly wide when he saw Tony. Stumbling forward, Rhodey looked around wildly before his eyes focused on Tony, who gave him a crooked smile. It was too loud to have a normal conversation and Rhodey surprised him by kneeling in front of him to draw him into a careful hug.

"What the hell, Tony?" Rhodey said into his ear, loud enough for only Tony to hear. "I just fucking watched you die!"

Wrapping his left arm around his best friend’s back, Tony nodded, afraid if he said anything his voice would break. He held on, knowing despite their ups and downs since he was originally kidnapped, Rhodey had always been solidly at his side whenever Tony had truly needed him.

"Are we really back in 2008, Tones?"

Tony pulled back slightly so he could look into his friend’s eyes. "I think we are, and I—it was the stones, Platypus." He looked around, knowing the flight crew was busy and had headsets on. "They gave me a message, I think."

Rhodey looked around as Tony had and confirmed no one else was close. "Swirling bright colors?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, whispering."

Moving closer, Rhodey shifted around so he was supporting Tony more, his mouth near his ear as Tony relaxed into the hold. "We land in about twenty minutes, I think. Who else do you think came back?"

Recalling what the Mind stone had said, Tony thought about the people in his life he trusted the most. "Hopefully, Pepper, and Happy at least. Peter might remember but he’s just a kid right now."

"What about Morgan?"

Closing his eyes tightly, Tony was overwhelmed by images of his precious daughter, her sharp, intelligent eyes, and precocious personality. "I don’t know, but I can hope."

Rhodey nodded his head. "Anyone else?"

"They said they’d send my most trusted," Tony whispered, his voice trailing off at the end.

Moving one hand, Rhodey cupped the back of Tony’s neck, something he’d done to comfort Tony since their MIT days. "So, how much did you trust that Star Lord guy?" His voice was mock-serious and made Tony laugh, as he was sure his best friend meant him to.

"Don’t even say that!" Tony pulled back a little and gave Rhodey a small smile. "Guy was a pain in the ass! The raccoon, now…" he smirked.

"Or maybe Danvers?"

Tony nodded, Carol had been an asset to the team in the battle against Thanos, "Only problem is that Fury’s the only one who can contact her and I’m not sure how much I want to be involved with the current version of SHIELD." He gave Rhodey a serious look. "You aren’t going to pout about the weapons thing this time, are you, Sour Patch?"

Rhodey shook his head. "No, but let’s not do it the way we did last time. If you call a press conference tomorrow, that will give us time to debrief the brass and get ahead of Stane’s plotting."

"And I should have a meeting with the board before I make the announcement," Tony conceded. "Give them some alternative ideas for the government contracts."

"Well, you did create some awesome protective gear and communication devices shortly after the whole Palladium poisoning thing." Rhodey gave him a piercing look. "We’re not going through that whole bull shit again, are we?"

Tony grimaced and shook his head, as one of the airmen walked towards them. A lieutenant tapped Rhodey on the shoulder and let him know they were on final approach to Edwards Air Force Base. Looking at her, Tony flashed back to the crew of his "fun-vee", all of whom died trying to protect him. The first time this happened, Tony hadn’t given those soldiers much thought after he had escaped, not until he’d run into Charles Spencer’s mother at MIT. This time, Tony swore he would do better for their families.

Rhodey settled back into his seat, checking his seat belt, as well as the straps that secured the wheelchair the Air Force insisted Tony sit in. His stomach churned with nerves as the plane descended and touched down. He’d tried not to think about facing Pepper, knowing how desperately he needed her to have been sent back. They were fourteen years in the past and so much had happened to mold them into the partners they had been in 2023. The Virginia Potts of 2008 had been his PA for ten years and had honed the ability to herd him and put out the fires he created fairly successfully. She had already taken over the majority of his administrative duties but had still been subjected to innuendo and condescension. And he’d thrown her to the wolves when he’d made her CEO in a year's time.

It wouldn’t happen again.

By the time the plane had landed, and the back had opened, lowered to become a ramp, Tony swore his heart was missing beats in his chest. With Rhodey’s help, he stood from the wheelchair, rolled his eyes at the waiting gurney, and tried to pull up his public face.

Rhodey must have felt the tremble in his body as he leaned close. "Yup, time to face your public – you know how they love their Tony Stank!"

Tony blinked and then burst into laughter, his chest burning at the action. He took a deep breath, throwing a glare at Rhodey, before allowing his friend to help him down the ramp. Tony found his eyes glued to the slim figure in a black pantsuit, strawberry blonde hair pulled back. Instead of shrugging off Rhodey’s arm, as he’d done before, Tony continued to allow his friend to help him. They stopped in front of her as Tony tried to remember his exact words. Rhodey moved back, taking out his phone as Tony squared his shoulders and took a step forward.

"Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long-lost boss?" He knew it came out a bit sharp, but he couldn’t fall into her arms like he wanted to.

"For the man who has made the impossible standard? Definitely. Plus, I hate job hunting and no way I’d work for that bastard—"

Looking up, he examined Pepper’s young face, seeing the shadows in the depths of the older, wiser eyes. Tony surged forward and wrapped his good arm around his wife, barely holding onto his composure. He didn’t see Happy step closer but did hear the snort he made as Rhodey urged them toward the car.

"Too many eyes, Stank, get in!"

Tony slid into the passenger side, while Pepper went around to sit behind Happy. Rhodey made sure they were in before getting in the front passenger seat. They all sat for a moment, taking deep breaths, as if they all were trying to recenter themselves. Surreptitiously wiping his face, Tony looked around the interior of the Bentley, wondering when the last time it had been swept for listening devices. He might be overly paranoid, but heaven knew he came by it from experience.

"Drive us around to the front of the base, Hogan."

"What? No cheeseburgers—"

"Not yet, Happy. Take a left at the stop sign over there." Rhodey directed him.

"Besides, the cheeseburgers made me sick the last time," Tony groused. "Rhodey has set up a quick debrief here with the base commander and then we’ll go home."

Happy followed Rhodey’s directions to a small administration building a short distance from the runways and had him pull in front. Tony looked at Pepper who had grabbed his hand tightly as soon as they got in the car, relief and love swelling in him.

"Are you guys coming?"

Giving him a steely look, Pepper nodded. "I don’t think either of us are going to let you out of our sight anytime soon."

Tony felt proud to be walking next to his friend, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes. His platypus looked impressive as they walked down the hall. His friend had carved out an impressive career as a fighter pilot and leader within the Air Force, prior to agreeing to become the liaison between the military and Stark Industries. He headed up weapons development for the Air Force, a dream job for a guy with an engineering degree from MIT.

An aide ushered them into a large conference room, with four vacant seats closest to the doorway. The other eight seats were taken up by two women and six men, in various types of military uniforms. One of the women and five of the men were in working military uniforms, and two others in dress uniforms. Rhodey snapped an impressive salute to the group before one of the formally uniformed women waved him down.

"At ease, Colonel Rhodes, and welcome, Dr. Stark." The woman stood and gestured to the open seats.

"Thank you, ma’am," Rhodey acknowledged for them all as they arranged themselves around Tony, with Rhodey at the head of the table and Happy on his right.

"Refreshments?" One of the men asked and Tony nodded.

"Coffee, please, black."

Once everyone had a beverage in front of them, Pepper was typing on her StarkPad, as were several of the military personnel. Tony hid a smirk as he recognized his own products.

"Dr. Stark," the woman began. "I’m General Clarke and beside me are Generals Banks and Jones, Admiral Serrento, Lt. General Sighe, General Leary, Commadore Hughes, and Vice Admiral Burke. We were actually here when you landed, having a meeting concerning your kidnapping."

Tony leaned forward and, getting a nod from Rhodey, spoke. "Thank you all for being so accommodating. You all know Colonel Rhodes on my right, next to him is my personal security director Harold Hogan, and to my left is my personal assistant, Virginia Potts. I trust each and every one of these people with my life." He glanced around the table, more to see if he remembered any of them from the past. "What I’m about to tell you is strictly for the highest clearance levels." He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

"When my convoy was attacked three months ago, the weapons the terrorists who kidnapped me used had been manufactured by Stark Industries. I was caught in the explosion of a bomb which had my name on it, literally. During my involuntary stay in the Afghani mountains, I found out that Stark weapons were available to anyone with enough money to purchase them, regardless of affiliation or existing international laws. I saw those bombs killing the American troops they were designed to protect."

He looked at each somber face in turn. "I will be telling my Board of Directors tomorrow morning that I am halting the production of all weapons. I am telling you in advance, so you are not taken by surprise. I know most of the SI contracts with the US government are completed and new ones will be presented at the start of the fiscal year. That being said, those which haven’t been completed, I will substitute defensive and protective gear instead of the bombs and missiles."

"But, Stark," one of the generals interjected, "the military needs those weapons!"

"General Leary, we both need to clean house before we do anything else." Tony retorted sharply. "Someone high up in my company is illegally selling large numbers of weapons to terrorists around the world!" He looked back at General Clarke. "Are you aware of a ransom video being delivered from the Ten Rings?"

She shook her head, as did all the others.

"There was, just after they had another prisoner do open heart surgery on me in a cold, dark cave without anesthesia. After they had water boarded me several times. They took me to a large cave and taped me, bloody bandages across my chest and all."

Tony felt Pepper reach over and take his hand. "Now, I may not speak Urdu or whatever dialect they were speaking, but I can recognize my own name and the name of the CFO of Stark Industries, Obadiah Stane, to whom the video was addressed."

Voices rose in shock and disbelief, which General Clarke quickly squashed. "That means there is a video out there which will prove this," she reasoned.

"Yes, and if Stane is behind this, I will be able to scrub the SI servers for the evidence as soon as I am able to get to my office." He paused before looking at them again. "It also means there are people, probably high up in the US government, who are aware of what’s going on, who have looked the other way, and have benefited from these illegal sales. The weapons in that one stronghold alone were worth millions of dollars."

"I think we need to do a bit of house cleaning ourselves, Dr. Stark," One of the admirals agreed. "Can I ask how you were able to escape?"

Tony looked at the assembled military brass and exchanged a look with Rhodey. "I will tell you that I modified a missile which I used to blast my way out. I would be willing to meet with representatives of the military and intelligence communities next week to debrief on exactly what I did and how I am going to proceeded with this new technology – once you certify that each branch's representative has been cleared of involvement in illegal weapons sales."

"Fair enough, Dr. Stark, and when will you be holding your press conference?" Clarke inquired.

"2pm tomorrow afternoon at Stark Industries, General," Pepper supplied with a smile, looking up from her tablet. "You are all welcomed to attend."

"Is there anything else the US military can do for you, Dr. Stark?"

Tony nodded; his face serious. "If I can have Rhodes assigned to assist me during the investigation and clean-up of the weapons fiasco, I would appreciate it. Also, if I could get the contact information for the families of the soldiers who died protecting me, so that I might express my condolences."

"Done," said the general in Air Force blue.

"And last, could someone look into an officer, Army I think, named Thaddeus Ross? I heard his name spoken as well, and while I’m not sure of the context, I figured it was worth mentioning."

Pepper’s hand squeezed his as they said their goodbyes and made their way out to the car. No one said a word on the drive to Malibu, waiting until they had stepped into the entryway to the mansion.

"Welcome home, Sir. Ms. Potts informs me you have been on a sabbatical."

JARVIS’ voice almost sent Tony to his knees. He’d never truly gotten over the loss of his first AI – only those with him right now had understood his devastation at the time. Certainly not his Avengers teammates. Rhodey’s hand on his shoulder helped keep him on his feet, as Pepper slid an arm around his waist.

"Sir, I detect a spike in your heart rate, as well as an anomaly in your usual heart rhythm."

"JARVIS, buddy, I’m so glad to hear your voice!" Tony tried to reign-in his emotions. "Things are complicated, but I’ll explain to you as soon as I upgrade your code against nosy spies."

"I await your explanation with great expectation."

Tony snorted, his eyes prickling as he realized how much he’d missed JARVIS’ special type of sass. Pepper’s arm tightened around his waist and guided him into the elevator, dropping down to the lab.

"JARVIS, I want you to do a full scan—"

"Pepper, love of my life, hold on for just a minute," Tony pulled away and waved them into the room. "JARVIS, Absolute Lockdown Protocol, effective immediately. Only the people who are currently in the house are allowed in. Disable any other entry codes and scan the house for surveillance devices."

Rhodey sat down on a stool and rolled up beside him as Tony brought up the holographic keyboard. "Honey Bear, will you bring up the video footage of the last four months and view anything JARVIS may have flagged, especially any visits to the house by Stane just prior to and during the time I was held captive."

"Sir, two video devices and several listening devices have been disabled," the AI advised him.

Snapping his head up, Tony narrowed his eyes at the nearest camera. "Where, J?"

"One in your office and one in your bedroom, Sir."

Tony rolled his eyes at the news and continued his work; Stane was a voyeur as well as a traitor.

"Both Mr. Stane and Ms. Potts have been in the residence since you left."

Tony didn’t even look up from the line of code he was typing. "And I trust Pepper with my life, J. I want you to infiltrate the SI main servers and collect all the files on Stane’s activities; anything with weapons being shipped to odd addresses, or any indication of supposed duds or damaged product missing from the stores."

"I’m not sure I understand, Sir."

"Look for any communication between Obadiah Stane and the leader of the Ten Rings terrorist group by the name of Raza. Also, any communications between the group known as SHIELD, specifically between Eric Stillwell and Alexander Pierce."

"And Thaddeus Ross," Rhodey interjected grimly.

"Yes! Also, institute regular and ongoing internal scans against any type of incursions to your systems, JARVIS." Tony continued to type away, the coding as familiar to him as his own name. "It’s going to take me about an hour to get the first phase of this new firewall finished and after that I’m going to remove you from the SI servers, and we’ll create a secure server farm for you here and make them all cloud based." Tony looked up at the camera again. "You have my permission to take whatever action you deem necessary to protect yourself or the people in this room, JARVIS."

"Understood, Sir."

Pepper’s phone rang and she answered, speaking quietly while both Tony and Rhodey continued to work. Happy was watching the surveillance cameras and making notes on his phone. Tony continued to type in lines of code, taking into consideration JARVIS' current operating speed and storage capacity.

"Board meeting is set-up for tomorrow at 10am and the press conference is scheduled for 2pm at SI." Pepper informed them.

"Have to keep an eye on Stane, last time he made at least two trips back to Afghanistan over the six months after my return." Tony looked at Happy. "Hap, as of now, you are my forehead of security."

"Of course, Boss." Happy gave him an honest to goodness grin.

It took Tony 45 minutes to complete the first phase of security upgrades for the AI, as he would be damned if SHIELD hacked into JARVIS in this timeline. Rhodey compiled several suspicious trips to the house by Stane and others during the time Tony was held captive, several to areas where JARVIS’ cameras and sensors didn’t reach. Happy took the initiative to do a full perimeter search, taking a handheld electronic scanner connected to the AI. Rhodey went to join him as he went to check through the lower areas of the house, namely the gym, the utility room, and the door leading into the house from the beach stairway. Pepper continued to make phone calls to personally notify board members and investors of Tony’s safe return.

About the time Happy had retrieved the takeaway food Pepper had delivered, Tony finished the uploads to JARVIS and had started the AI on a full systems check. Pepper insisted they eat immediately and had the food set out on the low table by the couch, as Tony didn’t want to leave his workshop until he knew the rest of the house was secure. Ordering Tony a hearty minestrone soup and plain cheese ravioli seemed safe for his stomach, as Pepper remembered how Tony’s stomach had rebelled after being crammed full of cheeseburgers.

Tony also remembered and slowly ate his soup, setting the pasta aside for later. He knew he needed to eat small, frequent meals to build his strength back. Needing protein more than carb-heavy meals to regain the muscle mass he would need to be able to fly his suit most effectively. The hydraulics he’d originally built into the Mark II had help the last time, until he’d gain sufficient muscle mass. Tony knew he was going to miss his bleeding edge suit, but it would have to wait until he could reinvent the technology.

"The door at the top of the beach stairs was unlocked, Boss," Happy said as he paused his eating to swirl up another forkful of spaghetti. "Everything looked all right down there and no bugs, but it was just unusual."

Tilting his head, Tony’s tried to think of why JARVIS hadn’t been able to tell the door was unsecured. "I think we need to install some new hardware, seeing how I was never sure which door Fury used to let himself in that first time." He nibbled on a soft breadstick. "We do need to start on creating a timeline as reference, with dates and places of significance."

"You need to have JARVIS scan you before we do anything else, Tony," Pepper announced in her no-nonsense voice, the one she used to corral both he and Morgan when they were being difficult.

"Yes, dear." Tony quickly laid down on the couch, propping his feet up in Rhodey’s lap. "Okay, J, hit me!"

One of the ceiling lights lit blue and a scanning light, reminiscent of a laser, widened and began to scan Tony’s body. The light went slowly from head to toe before returning to his chest area, with the light intensifying.

"How is it, Sir, that you have a metal casing and a miniature of the arc reactor in your chest?" JARVIS’ voice asked.

"Open chest surgery in a cave after being blown up with a bomb bearing my name," Tony answered matter-of-factly. "Will you please watch for heavy metal poisoning, J; the Palladium I used as a core corrupts quickly."

"Sir—"

"We are all aware, JARVIS." Pepper’s voice was soft as she made eye with Tony. "Watch the blood toxicity levels, please. Tony will be building a better reactor and synthesizing a new element within the next few days."

"New reactor first, Pepper, this evening. I don’t want to go into that building without a better construction."

"I'll help," Rhodey offered. "It may not be my field of expertise, but I can follow instructions well."

Chapter Text

It was 9pm by the time they had produced an upgraded arc reactor. Pepper insisted on doing the honors of replacing the old reactor with the new, with no less squeamish reaction, to Tony’s great amusement. Everyone had stayed in the lab while Tony and Rhodey had worked, Happy did the occasional perimeter check, and Pepper worked on the SI related issues. Rhodey had also started a spread sheet on their supplies as he decided to fill the pantry. The years after the Snap and its sparse supplies had taught them all to be frugal and prepared.

While Tony could hear the collective sigh of relief among his family when the reactor was changed, he knew there was one more thing they needed to do before they could sleep.

"All right," he said, tapping his fingers on the reactor. "Let’s get situated, and, while it is fresh in our minds, have JARVIS create a timeline of critical points that could happen in the next fourteen years."

"Could happen?" Rhodey questioned and he stood, stretching his back.

Nodding, Tony grabbed a long-sleeved tee shirt, feeling chilled. "We’ve already changed the future in this timeline, by not having that god-awful press conference I demanded the first time."

"So, we’re in an alternative timeline, Boss?"

Tony dragged his fingers through his hair. "I’m not sure, Happy. Strange made reference to some fourteen million possible outcomes to the fight with Thanos but didn’t really explain the time aspect. When I was working on figuring out the time heist, it was to send us back to our own past, which could have caused problems if our past selves had caught us. The other theory would be that our souls or what makes us, us, was actually sent back in time to our younger bodies, which seems to be the most likely."

"Which is why I woke-up this morning feeling like I had been on a three-day binge," Happy muttered.

Pepper looked thoughtful. "My awakening was in the car driving to the air base – I dozed off and woke up with a blinding headache, finding myself in the past."

"It was very disorienting," Rhodey agreed with them, the look on his face reinforcing it.

"Tony?" Pepper put a hand on his arm as he sat beside her on the couch. "Do you think anyone else will come back?"

Laying his head back, Tony closed his eyes, his mind sorting through what the Mind stone had told him. "Stones said the most trusted would be returned to help me."

"What else did they say?" Pepper whispered as she cuddled into Tony’s side.

With a deep breath, Tony brought up the fuzzy memory of his limbo. "Some of it was just whispers, stuff like protect the boy, he is a focal point, he sacrifices everything, and the universe is ripped apart because of it. The reactor," he paused for a moment, "I think they mean the big one at SI, sends a signal when it was—is? destroyed. The Space stone protects me because of the arc reactor and the serum—"

"Serum?" Rhodey gasped.

Tony hadn’t thought of the implications of the stone’s words had, and he frowned. "It said my dad had given me the serum when I was a child."

"That fucking bastard!" Rhodey jumped up, rage apparent on his face.

"I love you, too, Platypus." Tony’s voice was quiet and sincere. "You were always the one who saw through Howard’s bullshit and for that, you have my everlasting thanks."

Rhodey huffed and paced furiously along the length of the lab, twice, before coming back and throwing himself down on Tony’s other side. He patted his best friend’s thigh and went on to tell them about the mind cleansing and protection for all of them, the implications of the Time Heist, as well as Rogers’ permanent trip into the past and it’s influence on the fabric of time. They all sat silently for several minutes, lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated what they had been tasked with and all it might entail.

"All right," Happy announced, a determined look on his face. "Thank you for the trust you’ve always put in me, Boss. Now, who else can you think of that might turn up?"

"I—," Tony stammered, not really sure what to say. "I just don’t know anyone else I trust like I do you guys."

"I think we are looking at this wrong," Pepper theorized, a pensive look on her face. "It’s not who you trust now, it’s who you trusted at the moment you snapped your fingers."

"Oh, for fuck’s sake! That Strange guy isn’t going to show up, is he?"

Tony blinked. "Why would the wizard show-up?"

Rhodey gave him a look. "You trusted him enough to die, because he said you were the only one who could do it!"

Tony gaped at him, realizing his closest friend, his brother, was right. "Honey bear, how could I not, when it meant all of you would be okay?"

Sending an elbow into Tony’s side, Rhodey huffed again. "There will be no snapping by anyone this time around, capiche?"

"Yeah, let’s avoid that at all costs," Happy agreed.

"You and Steve got close during the Time Heist, Tony," Pepper reminded him quietly. "Or how about Bruce?"

Tony could only shrug, thinking of Steve’s betrayal in Siberia and Bruce’s repeated departures over the years. "I’m not sure, but my guess is that they will come to us when they remember or when the time is right. JARVIS, you awake?"

"For you, Sir, always. I've already started a list."

The other three nodded at his statement and they settled in to get started on the list of events. Tony began to talk about the events set to happen within the next few months, including his birthday gala, SHIELD, Stane, Gulmira, and starting Stark Tower.

"No taking on fighter jets this time, Tones!" Rhodey demanded.

Tony waved him off as he continued with contact by Coulson and then Fury, and the desire to avoid destroying the large reactor at SI. Also, avoiding heavy metal poisoning sooner, thus eliminating the fiasco of his birthday party the next year, but deciding on going ahead with the Stark Expo 2010, despite Vanko and Hammer. They continued on, going over all the different events they could think of, small and large, some happy and some painful.

It was almost midnight and Tony had just described what had happened during the alien invasion of New York in 2012, including Loki being controlled by Thanos, and the fact that there were three Infinity stones in the city at the time of the attack. And the enormity what he'd seen beyond the portal in space.

Happy’s phone rang, startling them all.

Digging it out of his pocket, Happy glanced at the screen and his head snapped up. "Boss, the call is from Ben Parker!"

Tony's heart skipped a beat, and he had trouble drawing in a breath. "JARVIS, put it on the screen! Happy, answer it."

The connection was made and Happy looked up towards the large TV on the wall, as Tony's stomach lodged in his throat. "Hullo?"

"Hap—uh, Mr. Happy?"

Covering his mouth to smother his gasp, Tony felt a tear slide down his cheek as he heard Peter's impossibly young voice. Pepper grabbed his left hand in a tight grip.

"Kid? Isn't it like 3am there? Watcha doing out of bed?"

"Mr. Happy, I, uh, I had a bad dream and—and Mr. Stark, he—" Peter's voice was cut off by a sob and Tony couldn't stand it.

"Underoos? Is that really you?"

"Ton-Mr. Stark? You're alive? What happened? Why are we here? What's going on?" Peter's breathing became erratic.

It was easy to hear that Peter was going into a panic attack and Tony jumped up. "JARVIS activate the camera on the phone and get us a picture!"

The TV immediately changed to what looked like a bathroom and pictured a small boy crouched against a bathtub. It appeared he’d been crying for a while, his eyes red rimmed and face splotchy. Everyone in the lab squished together on the couch, peering up at JARVIS’ camera.

"Hey Pete, look at your phone, kiddo," Tony told him.

Wide, panic-stricken eyes focused on them, and Peter drew a deep breath at the sight.

"That’s it, Underoos," Tony coached him. "Deep breaths, in and out. Keep looking at us, bambino."

As they watched, Peter’s breathing slowly calmed, and his eyes widened when he became aware of all of them. "Did you all, um, come from—"

"We did, sweetie," Pepper leaned in and smiled at him.

Peter was still trying to halt his tears without any luck and Tony felt a tug of anguish.

"You had a nightmare, Petey-pie?" He cringed as soon as the words left his mouth, remembering that was Morgan’s name for the big brother she’d never met. "Can you tell us what it was about?"

Peter nodded. "We were fighting at the Compound and Th—Thanos tried to snap, but then Mr. Tony did instead, and I had to watch—" A painful sob tore from Peter.

Tony felt gutted, remembering what it did to him to have Peter dust in his arms on Titan, and all he wanted was to be there to comfort his kid. "We're here with you, Pete, we've been given a second chance by the stones themselves and you will be able to help us."

Relief showed on Peter's face, his eyes looking impossibly old, and he sighed heavily. "What do we do now?"

"Right now, just be a kid—"

"But I'm not really!" Peter argued, rubbing his eyes.

"We know, sweetie," Pepper tried to reassure him. "However, you have to remember your body is younger now and you can't do all those things you did when you were sixteen. Plus, we'll have to think of a plausible way to be in your life if your aunt doesn't remember."

Tony almost laughed as Peter pouted at Pepper's words. "Are you okay otherwise, Pete? Did your powers come back with you?"

"I'm not sure yet," Peter grumbled. "I still need my glasses, but I felt awful tonight and Aunt May said I had a fever."

"I'm just so glad you remembered my phone number, kid!" Happy interjected with a small smile.

"Well, I called it often enough!" Peter groused and they all laughed.

"I think you need to hang in there, Peter, play it cool, and, if I know Tony, we'll be making a trip to Queens soon," Rhodey put in his two cents worth.

"Okay, Mr. War Machine Colonel Rhodes, sir!"

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "How about just Uncle Rhodey."

Watching Peter's face, Tony could see they had been able to reassure him a bit. "Pete, I need you to use your head and act normally for your aunt. We have to clean up the Stane thing here, first, and then we'll all fly out to New York." Tony waited until Peter nodded at him and leaned forward, so Peter could better see his face. "I just got you back, Underoos, after what happened on Titan. We'll find a way, even if we have to move to New York earlier than last time." Taking a breath, Tony continued. "You are part of the Time Team, kiddo, and besides that, you're my kid, Peter, you have been for a long time. I was just afraid to tell you."

Tears were back on Peter's face, and he nodded his head. "You'll tell me everything that happened when I was—gone?"

"Of course, kiddo."

"Peter?"

A tap sounded at the bathroom door and Tony flapped his hands at Peter, signaling him to hang up. As the monitor went black, he looked at Pepper and blew out a breath. Rhodey threw an arm over his shoulders. Happy just sat, looking a little shellshocked. They sat in silence for several minutes, all lost in their own thoughts.

"J, I want everything you can find on Benjamin and May Parker, Queens. What they do, where they work, how Peter came into their custody, and what they might need."

"Yes, sir."

"We need to take it slow, Tones. The last thing Peter needs is for
you to try and overwhelm his family."

"I know, Honey Bear," Tony started only to have a yawn overtake him. "I just want him to be safe and encourage him to use that sixteen-year-old brain on something other than figure out how to be a pintsize Spiderling."

"All right, now that we know Peter is okay, we need to get to bed," Pepper directed as she stood up. "You two know where your rooms are and I'm putting this one to bed."

"Only if you come with me." Tony grabbed her hand as he stood up.

"Of course," Pepper reassured him with a small, tired smile. "Not getting rid of me anytime soon."

Tony slid his good arm around her waist as they headed towards the elevator, not missing Happy's quip to Rhodey about scheduling a quick elopement for them right away.

The ride to SI in the morning was mostly silent, Tony battling the butterflies in his stomach as he watched the scenery whizz past the window. He regretted the light breakfast of fruit and toast Pepper had insisted he eat which now felt like a ball of lead in his gut. While Happy and Rhodey had swept the car, the Audi today, for bugs and did another perimeter check, Tony had carefully dressed. A black tee shirt under his dark blue dress shirt hid the glow of the arc reactor in his chest. He'd chosen a Tom Ford Italian cut charcoal grey suit to help minimized his thinness due to the weight he'd lost during captivity. Anyone who knew him could see it just by looking at his face, his cheekbones and chin sharper.

They were all aware that Stane had already exchanged several calls with Raza and had sent him into the desert to retrieve attempt to find the pieces of his suit. Tony knew Stane would fly over to Afghanistan himself in the coming weeks, as he did the first time. While Tony and Pepper were in the board meeting with Stane this morning, Happy was going to bug the hell out of Stane's office and car. Tony wanted to know where the bastard was at all times. After a discussion at breakfast, they had decided to have a security detail immediately put into place to protect Peter, his aunt, and uncle. The child was at the top of their priority list and Tony would breathe easier, knowing he was protected.

Knowing it was expected of him, Tony directed Happy to the front of the building and gritted his teeth at seeing almost every employee standing there, along with an even larger group of reporters. Stane’s bald head stood above most of the crowd and Rhodey swore when he saw the man.

"Let me get out first, Tones," he said through clenched teeth. "I’ll try to stay in between the two of you, but he’s going to want to get a photo op hugging you."

"Can I knife him in the back?"

Tony snorted at his usually unflappable wife. "How about a repulsor shot to the head, babe?"

Pepper’s eyes gleamed. "I get my Rescue suit?"

"Absolutely, dear, as soon as the Mark II upgrade and War Machine are done."

"Knowing you, that should be within the month," she said dryly. "This time around, no compulsive suit building, husband dearest."

"Yes, my love," Tony bantered back with a smirk while the other two men rolled their eyes.

"Twenty bucks says Vegas this weekend," Happy muttered to Rhodey as he pulled to a stop in the driveway.

Opening the door, Rhodey, clad in his dress uniform, cut an imposing figure as he stepped out and reached for the passenger door. He stood there, effectively blocking Tony from the crowd, allowing him to slide easily out of the car. Straightening his jacket, Tony stepped up to sidewalk, Rhodey flanking him as Happy escorted Pepper to his other side, and they moved forward as a unit.

"Tony, my boy!" Stane’s voice boomed above the applause and Tony couldn’t help the flinch.

"Obie, how are you?" Tony pasted a parody of smile on his face as he turned.

"Never mind me, how are you doing?" Stane attempted to get closer, but only managed to land a beefy hand on Tony’s right shoulder.

Pulling away and rubbing it, Tony moved to the side, evading Stane’s attempt to draw him in for a hug as they moved by. Stane ended up trailing behind, a thunderous scowl on his face, as they moved into the building and headed for the executive floor. Several of the employees who stayed in the building waved and called to him as they walked through, and Tony lifted his left hand to acknowledge them. He’d ditched the sling, but, in reality, his right shoulder was still painful, and he held his arm against his side. Pepper had wanted to cover up the bruises on his face, but Tony decided to leave them. While he didn’t want to appear weak, he’d been through an ordeal during captivity and didn’t want anyone to forget that fact, especially the Board of Directors. Personally, Tony was glad he was fourteen years removed from the actual torture and not near the mess he’d been originally.

Tony had JARVIS check on his ownership shares this morning and was relieved to find he held 58% of the SI stock. Remembering the stock drop last time, Tony instructed the AI to buy up any stock which became available, as soon as possible. Tony wanted to own SI outright, like his father had before Stane talked Howard into raising capital by selling stock. He also knew Stane had acquired almost 20% of the company stock himself and Tony wanted it back.

His long-time secretary, Myrna, greeted him quietly, patting his left arm as he moved passed her desk. "I’m so glad to see you, Mr. Stark. Everything is ready for you."

"Thank you, Myrna, and I can't tell you how glad I am to see you." Tony followed her through the open doors.

The conference room next to his office was modern in design, with a large rectangle table, live edge redwood tabletop sat on top of a black metal frame. Black leather highbacked chairs surrounded the table and light streamed from the large floor to ceiling windows which looked out over the industrial complex. Tony’s usual chair at the head of the table, an ornate black leather monstrosity that Stane had ordered, had been removed and two chairs matching the others, now occupied the space. Pepper moved ahead of him and took her seat beside his, setting down her StarkPad and folders. Tony headed to the coffee service, pouring them each a cup, and Rhodey joined him to make one of his own.

"I’m going to stand on your left, Tones, between you and Stane."

Nodding, Tony joined Pepper, setting her cup down on her right. He returned the small smile she gave him before settling into his own seat. A tap on his watch had JARVIS flashing back at him, confirming the AI was connected. The worst thing about being back in 2009 was the technology and Tony knew he needed to start working on recreating advancements at a measured pace. He really missed having his HUD and JARVIS in his glasses. So many things to do and plans to set into motion. The fact Peter was also back with them was a huge weight off his shoulders and he'd have JARVIS check on Harley as soon as he had a minute.

And his little miss, Morgan, whose absence was an excruciating void in his soul, one that was constantly hovering in the back of his mind. Both he and Pepper were optimistic she would be given to back to them at some point.

"Good morning!"

Myrna's cheery voice came from the doorway as the members of the Board of Directors began to file into the room, and everyone exchanged quiet greetings. Stane brought up the rear and stopped in the doorway, surprise showing briefly on his face at the sight of Tony and Pepper sharing the head of the table. He walked the long way around the large table, avoiding getting close to them. The volume of noise rose in the room as the door was shut and everyone continued to converse with each other as they got coffee, settling into their seats around the table.

Tony stood, effectively cutting the chatter. "Good morning, everyone. I seem to have missed several meetings, unfortunately – terrorists are heathens with no regard for anyone's schedule!"

There were several nervous chuckles, but it broke up the overly serious atmosphere and the room seemed to relax. It was what he needed to get a genuine reaction out of the members; with JARVIS recording everything. They hoped to be able to pick out anyone who might have been complicit in Stane's double-dealing.

"I had a meeting yesterday with the military concerning the quantity of Stark Industries weapons I saw stockpiled in the stronghold of a known terrorist group. There is no way any of those weapons should have been there, nor could they have been legally purchased." Tony took his sunglasses off, the expression which earned him the moniker of Merchant of Death on his face. "With that knowledge in mind, and in conjunction with the US military, I am shutting down the Weapons Division of Stark Industries immediately, pending the outcome of a joint investigation."

Predictably, Stane was the first one to object, jumping immediately to his feet. "You can't do that! Tony—"

A chorus of voices drowned out Stane's outraged bellow, and Tony pushed his chair back and stood, Pepper at his side. Staring them down, he waited until the all the board members fell silent and reseated themselves. Rhodey took a step closer to him, so he and Pepper flanked him.

"Actually, you'll find I can," Tony advised in an even tone, making eye contact with everyone except Stane.

"But—but the shares will drop!"

"Are you trying to ruin the company, Anthony?" snapped a man who Howard had appointed to the board.

"We'll all be ruined as well!"

"If you had bothered to be civil, I would have told you the rest of my plans, which includes expanding our Medical Technology and Ag Divisions, creating new divisions to manufacture protective gear for our troops, communications technology, and green energy." Again, Tony made eye contact around the table. "For those with foresight, trust me when I say SI will triple its productivity and profit in the next year. For those of you who disagree, we have a handsome severance package for you and there is the door." Sweeping with his left arm, Tony indicated the closed door.

Several people gasped at his blunt words and then again when Stane abruptly shoved his chair back and slammed his hands on the top of the wooden table as he stood, again.

"You've got to be kidding! What the hell are you thinking, Tony?" He thundered, straightening up and putting his hands on his hips, a disappointed look on his face.

Tony met his eyes, seeing the hatred and rage in them. By sheer force of will, Tony kept his voice calm. "I was thinking someone is selling my weapons to terrorists and putting this company, as well as everyone in this room, at risk."

"You're not in your right mind, Tony." Stane narrowed his eyes, before looking around the room. "I'll file an injunction against you on behalf of the board!"

Ignoring the way his heart was hammering at the clear threat in Stane's tone, Tony pasted a cocky smirk on his face. "You are welcome to try," he responded before turning to the rest of the room. "Although, I've never heard of an injunction to stop an investigation."

Throwing up his hands dramatically, Stane stormed out of the room, with three of the board members following him out. Happy stepped into the doorway and gave Tony a nod, before signaling a security team to follow the men, intent on escorting them from the building. Tony waited several minutes while the remaining board members all turned back to face him again.

"If you are ready to listen?" Tony asked them, reseating himself.

Waiting for a nod from each, Tony then began to outline his plans. JARVIS projected each new item, the blueprint or schematic, on the wall behind Tony as he described the design for new lightweight, ballistic armor for soldiers and law enforcement, miniaturized communications options, and improved drone capabilities utilizing repulsor technology. Not going into details which he knew were over the heads of much of those present, Tony also showed the plans on how he proposed to refit the existing factories to begin production without delay, so there would be no lag in production or, more important to this crowd, profits.

"While what I am doing will be viewed with criticism and even contempt by some, I am convinced it will allow Stark Industries to grow in a direction that is sustainable for years to come." Tony glanced around the table, the smirk back on his face. "And if you don't agree, you have 90 minutes to dump your SI stock before I announce this new direction to the press."

Luckily, there was no mass rush for the door, even though several of the individuals left the room without another word. Those who stayed behind were the ones who had supported Tony in the past, and for that he was grateful. In the past timeline, Tony had been reeling from the blow that Stane's treachery had caused and hadn't considered the issue of his allies remaining on the Board of Directors. They had caused considerable problems for Pepper when she was abruptly named CEO and Tony was determined to make that transition smoother and sooner this time around.

Myrna had arranged for the employee's cafeteria to send up an assortment of sandwiches and several soup choices for their lunch, which they gathered in Tony's office to eat. Happy joined them, relaying that the board members had left the building, however, Stane had gone to his office one floor down. That information had Tony gritting his teeth, as it indicated to him Stane would be at the press conference. At Tony's direction, Happy had security supervising inventories on the most sensitive weapons warehouses on the property. They already knew about the Sonic Taser Stane had stolen, but there were other projects, in development or scrapped, which were stored on site that could be used to do harm.

They ate in silence for several minutes, everyone readying themselves for the press conference, when Rhodey's phone rang.

"Rhodes," He answered in a clipped voice and spent several minutes listening. "Please pass on Tony's thanks and make sure it is understood that the design is proprietary technology." Rhodey listened briefly again and repeated his thanks, before disconnecting.

Tony looked at him with a raised eyebrow as Rhodey broke into a shit eating grin. "General Clarke asked me to assure you the parts of the missile have been retrieved from your landing site in Afghanistan, along with six known terrorist arrested who were there trying to collect the pieces. They have been identified as members of the Ten Rings."

"Excellent news, Honey Bear!" Tony saluted him with his coffee cup. "We'll get the unit's information and send them something for their efforts."

Rhodey nodded. "I've heard they'd really enjoy some St. Louis baby back ribs with the fixings."

Tony grinned and before he could even answer, JARVIS confirmed he'd made note of the choice. Turning back to his soup, Tony continued to work through the bowl of chicken noodle soup, knowing he needed to get his health back on track. As Pepper had reminded him earlier, he couldn't live off smoothies and protein bars until he was back up to a healthy weight.

"Clarke also said to tell you she'd emailed the information on the soldiers' families, as you had requested."

Looking up, Tony thanked his friend quietly. He'd already given JARVIS instructors on what to look for in the soldiers' backgrounds and what he could provide to make the lives of the families easier. He was determined to be better this time; to not make the mistakes he'd made the first time around. The same with the security team for Peter, his aunt, and uncle, more for his peace of mind than any real danger. JARVIS had ordered the parts he needed to put together the particle accelerator so he could create Starkanium again, as he was not taking any chances with heavy metal poisoning this time. Nor was he going to let SHIELD hack his AI or insert a spy into his organization. And if they tried, Tony would have someone up on Industrial Espionage charges.

"Tony, it's time."

Pepper touched his arm gently and Tony looked up with a smile. Taking one last mouthful of coffee, Tony wiped his mouth and fingers with his napkin, before pushing his chair back. A quick trip to the restroom and Tony was ready, every hair in place. Grabbing Pepper's hand while they were in the elevator, he gave it a squeeze before letting it go as the doors opened. They followed Happy and Rhodey into the large room, Tony stepped up onto the riser and turned to face the room. He left his sunglasses on as the cameras flashed and ignored all the questions yelled at him.

Scanning the room as he waited for the reporters to quiet down, Tony tracked Pepper's movement to the side of the stage. Agent Coulson appeared beside her, materializing from the crowd, and Tony grinned when he saw Happy's eyes narrow at the sight. Tony continued to scan the crowd as he waited for the noise to die down and was pleasantly surprised to see Generals Banks, Leroy, and Jones seated to one side, grateful for the support. Stane slipped in at the last moment, standing just inside the door, with his disapproving scowl on his face and arms crossed over his chest.

"Good afternoon," Tony began as he looked out over the representatives of the media, noting several ones who had been fair to him in the past, including Ms. Vanity Fair in the front row. "Thank you for coming today, it's been a while since I've been in front of you—"

"Mr. Stark!"

Tony recognized the young man. "Hey, Ben."

"What happened over there?"

"I had my eyes opened, Ben," he responded, taking a deep breath as the years seemed to evaporate. "I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability."

The words came back unbidden from fourteen years ago.

"I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. This company has more to offer. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International, pending the outcome of a joint investigation with the military to find out how terrorists got their hands on my weapons."

The room dissolved into verbal chaos with shouted questions and cries of indignation. Rhodey stepped up to stand shoulder to shoulder with him as Happy let out a piercing whistle. When everyone had quieted down, Tony took off his dark glasses and looked around the room.

"I have already met with representatives from the military," Tony gestured towards the generals, "and they have agreed this is a necessary move. Personally, I can't justify continuing to manufacture something which might make its way into terrorists' hands. Whatever the investigation reveals, it comes down to transparency and accountability."

He paused for a moment, thinking of what he needed to accomplish. "Three months in a cave under the persuasion of terrorists, can change a man's perspective; remind one of their own mortality. I don't want my legacy to be solely the weapons I've built or the tech I have created. With that in mind, I will be personally funding a foundation which will be designed to promote science and mathematics, all STEM subjects in schools, including science camps for children who are interested in pursuing careers in those subjects."

Ignoring the shouted questions, Tony looked over to the military representatives and while they were not smiling, the group was listening with interest. The Young Scientist Champaign was Happy's idea, one he'd hesitantly proposed during their breakfast discussion and Tony had thought was brilliant. It would give him the opportunity to spend time with both Harley and Peter without it giving the appearance of anything inappropriate.

Once the crowd quieted down, Tony answered a few questions about his kidnapping, keeping it general in nature. He made a point of telling the media representatives about Ho Yinsen and his role in saving Tony's life, determined to honor the man's sacrifice, which he hadn't done last time. The man had been a talented scientist and surgeon in his own right, before doing open-heart surgery in an Afghani cave. A glance at Stane's face told him that Raza had told him about the arc reactor Tony had replaced the original electro-magnet with after the surgery.

A nudge from Rhodey brought Tony's thoughts back and he suddenly felt exhausted. He met Pepper's eyes and she gave him a nod.

"All right, I'm done." Tony stepped back from the podium and slid his glasses back on.

Rhodey directed him with a hand on his back toward the door leading into a waiting area as the reporters shouted behind them. Stumbling a bit as they walked, Rhodey caught him and directed him to the couch along the wall.

"Easy, Tones," Rhodey eased him down. "Despite everything else that has happened, your body has been held captive for the past three months."

Nodding, Tony leaned back and closed his eyes, his mind churning with all the things they needed to change in the next few months. He really needed to prioritize the list of things they had to do and have Jarvis track the result of the changes they made. It wouldn't do to prevent the SHIELD data dump, only to find they had missed something crucial no one had thought of, as it hadn't happened in the original timeline. Lorenz's Butterfly Effect theory could bite them in the ass if they didn't stay on top of it. At the moment, they hadn't changed enough to cause too many ripples, but they would have to keep a close eye on Stane, as Tony wasn't sure what he'd do when he discovered Raza hadn't gotten the armor.

"Come on, Man of Iron, let's go." Rhodey teased, patted his left shoulder.

Cracking an eye open, Tony saw Pepper and Happy had joined them. "Everything go okay in there?"

They were all aware of the possibility of listening devices and Tony knew Happy was going to be scanning both Tony's and Pepper's offices, as well as the R&D labs this afternoon.

"They all grumbled as they ran out of the room," Happy answered.

Pepper nodded; her smile devilish. "I scheduled an appointment for Agent Coulson next Friday. That should give you time to recover a bit."

Tony nodded as he grasped the hand Rhodey held out and allowed him to pull him up. "I'll let Platypus drive me home, Pep, if you promise to work out of my office and Happy stays with you."

"And you will go home and rest for a while?" Pepper asked, exchanging a look with Rhodey.

"But, Mom—"

"Shut it, Stark," she retorted, her smile taking the bite out of her words. "The world won't end if you sleep for a couple hours. Then, you can disappear to your workshop."

Tony sighed dramatically but acquiesced without argument. "Hogan, order a car to the back door for us, 'cause I'm taking Rhodey with me."

"I'm driving," Rhodey announced as they exited the room and headed for the elevators.

Tony fell asleep in the backseat of the Rolls Happy had waiting for them, despite Rhodey's gleefully monologue after kicking the driver out. It wasn't until they pulled into the garage of the mansion that Tony woke up. He didn't remember being this tired the first time; while his mind might be 53 years old, this body wasn't, he shouldn’t be so wiped out. Waiting until Rhodey had confirmed with JARVIS that the house was secure, Tony trudged up the stairs into the living room and collapsed onto the couch.

"Any news, JARVIS?" Tony rubbed his eyes and laid his head back against the cushion.

"I've been able to secure another 10% of SI shares, as Directors Watts and Lawson sold theirs off prior to the press conference."

That didn't surprise Tony, the two had been on the board since before Howard died and were just cutting their losses. It also meant Tony could remove them from the board now.

"Ms. Potts has ordered the aviation division locked down on your authority, citing mandatory safety checks for all the aircraft, which forced Mr. Stane to book a flight to Kabul on a commercial jet for later tonight."

"Bastard!" Rhodey bit out, handing Tony a bottle of water, before flopping on the couch beside him. He'd taken off his jacket and loosened his tie. "I hope The Ten Rings shots his ass and takes care of the problem for us!"

"JARVIS, were you able to pull that ghost drive off Stane's desktop?" Tony asked, opening the bottle, and drinking a third of it in one long swallow.

"With the upgrades you gave me last night, Sir, I was," JARVIS answered. "Including the copies of the invoices and delivery schedules which were also in the file."

"Excellent, J, save a copy to my private server and send them, with a cover letter in my name to—" He looked at Rhodey.

"Send it to General Clarke in both our names, and let her decide," Rhodey instructed. "I trust her, and she will bring in the necessary intelligence agencies as well as the FBI." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Let her know Stane is currently planning on flying to Afghanistan tonight, please.

"Include his call logs from his StarkPhone, JARVIS," Tony finished, yawning. "Damn, why am I so tired?"

Rhodey sat on the coffee table across from him. "Tony, I don’t care if you’re in a body that’s fourteen years younger than you were two days ago, young you has been held in captivity for three months, complete with water boarding and near starvation. Add that to old—"

Tony gasped dramatically.

"—you fucking died three days ago!" Reaching over, Rhodey pushed him down on the couch. "So, you can nap here, or I can join you in bed and cuddle you like I did tiny Tony in our freshman year!"

Flashing back to how Rhodey had taken one look at Tony’s expressionless face when he returned from the Christmas break and Howard drunken rant about Tony’s
uselessness, and promptly grabbed him in a hug. Tony had melted into him, still half drunk, and refused to let go, which led to Rhodey carrying him to bed and climbing in to cuddle him.

"I—" Tony cleared his throat. "I wouldn’t object to that."

And when Tony woke up in the early morning hours to find himself spooned behind Pepper and Rhodey cuddling him from the back, he had smiled and snuggled back into their arms.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t Las Vegas, but New York City where they quietly got married on Saturday. They’d flown over early Friday with Happy (who may have actually smiled) and Rhodey to get the marriage license and were married the next morning by a judge, an old friend of Tony's mother. They’d been in and out quietly, utilizing the underground garage and disguises. As Pepper reasoned, they could still have a fancy wedding at a later date; Tony just wanted his wife back.

After eating a celebratory brunch in a private dining room at their hotel, Happy drove them all to Queens and the Parkers' apartment building. There had been two additional attempts to call Happy's phone from a different New York number, but neither call had connected and Happy had been unsure about calling the number back. Pepper had prepared a letter, including a brochure, for the new Young Scientist Summer Camp project at Tony's request, to give to the Parkers. There would be several held around the country, which Tony planned to visit, and Peter would be invited to the camp in New York, as would Harley Keener. Happy had remembered Peter's best friend Ned, and another letter had been prepared, as Tony grumbled good naturally about "Ted" hacking the Spider-kid’s suit.

Although unsure whether he was doing the right thing, Tony was desperate to see the kid with his own eyes, despite the possibility his aunt and uncle wouldn't even let him in the door. Happy parked the car and the four of them, dressed casually, got out to stand on the sidewalk, and looking up at the building.

Butterflies swarmed in Tony's stomach. "Happy, why don't you try calling that number?"

"Sure, Boss," Happy muttered, fishing his phone out of his jacket pocket.

Tony wanted to pace as he waited impatiently for Happy to tap the number in. He knew Peter remembered Titan and Thanos; coming back to his eight-year-old body had to have been terrifying. Or so it sounded the night he'd called Happy's phone. Tony pondered how well Peter was coping the turmoil, especially without his powers. Shifting from foot to foot, Tony was not prepared for the tiny tornado which suddenly impacted his legs. He would have fallen to the ground if Rhodey hadn't grabbed his shoulder and steadied him.

A small face pressed into his thigh, and he could just make out a muffled voice. "Mr. Sta—Tony!"

Tony's breath caught on a sob, and with Rhodey's help, he lifted Peter into his arms and held him tight. Peter buried his face in Tony's neck and cried; while he'd never admit it, Tony might have shed a tear or two. He bent his head, laying his cheek on Peter's hair, savoring the feel of the boy in his arms.

"Now that's something I never would have expected to see in the past," a familiar, sarcastic voice said. "Probably would have accused you of being a pedophile!"

Looking up, Tony was startled to see May Parker standing in front of him, the grin on her face in contradiction to her words. Tony reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her into a hug.

"You remember!"

May smacked the back of his head and stepped away. "What in the world did you do this time, Stark?"

"He died, Aunt May!" was Peter's tremulous response as he lifted his head.

Tony quietly shushed Peter as he rubbed a hand up and down his back. Pepper stepped forward to give May a hug, as did Happy. Rhodey lifted a hand in greeting.

"Why don't we take this inside?" Pepper suggested, following May as she walked back into the building.

Tony suppressed a laugh when May led them to the stairs, out of order sign on the elevator, and vowed to repair the elevator himself. Peter tried to wiggle down, and Tony stopped him, tightening his hold.

"How'd you know I was here, Roo?" he asked, as he followed the others up the stairs.

"Heard your voice and then Happy's," He admitted, lifting his head. "I couldn't wait for you to walk up."

Snorting softly, Tony shook his head. "A little impatient there, Underoos?"

Peter leaned back and scowled up at him, punching his good shoulder with a surprisingly strong little fist. Tony stopped on the next landing and looked down at his kid.

"Pete?"

"My powers came back yesterday. I tried to call from Aunt May's phone, but she almost caught me," Peter whispered, his arms tightening around Tony's neck. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

Swallowing against the lump in his throat and blinking the prickles from his eyes, Tony tightened his arms to gently squeeze Peter. "I will always come for you, Roo. Always!"

The rest of the climb was done in silence; Tony followed May and Pepper into the apartment. It was a larger than the one Peter had shared with his aunt when Tony first met him, one they probably moved into after his uncle's death. May waved them into seats and sat down on the couch with Pepper and Tony.

"What do you remember, Pete?" Tony had shifted the boy into his lap, left arm curled around him as Peter held onto his right hand.

Peter gave him a wide-eyed look and swallowed. "I remember Dr. Strange giving the Time stone to Thanos after he—he stabbed you, and then Thanos disappeared. That's when everyone began to turn to dust—" Peter's voice broke and Tony tightened his hold. "I—went, too, but then I was back and Dr. Strange was there. He made one of those portal things and we went through to find another battle raging with Thanos. You hugged me and then—"

Peter buried his face into Tony's chest, and he laid his cheek on Peter's soft hair. "It's okay, Roo." He pressed a kiss to his kid's temple. "I know what happened next. And so, you woke up the night I got back from Afghanistan?"

Peter nodded his head but didn't move away and Tony let him hide. He looked at May with a curious expression. Peter's aunt sighed and Pepper grabbed her hand.

"I woke up that night from a nightmare, one in which Peter was missing – disappeared from a school fieldtrip. Until we, Pepper, Ned, and I, put it together and assumed he'd disappeared at the same time you did, Stark."

Tony winced and Peter stiffened, but neither of them spoke.

May gave him a look which should have immediately incinerated him. "I stayed with Pepper at the compound for a few days, before coming back to the city to work. I was on shift at the hospital a few days later when everyone around me began to turn to dust." She shook her head as if to clear the memory. "At least I knew you would take care of him, Tony. Then, somehow, I was back, lying on the floor at the hospital, with the rest of the Returned. I had barely gotten to my feet when we were descended on and told we'd been gone five years, how all our belongings were probably gone, including where we lived. Just as abruptly, I woke up, back in my bed, in the apartment I'd shared with Ben in 2009 and my brain felt like it was short-circuiting."

"And then you heard the kid on the phone to us." Happy finished for her.

May gave him a rueful look. "Well, I heard him up and actually thought he was talking to himself. When I found he had a fever and extreme body aches, the nightmare I'd had was nothing to the memories that came flooding in when I realized he was going through the spider bite all over again."

"And Ben?" Pepper questioned quietly.

Peter pressed closer to Tony and May shook her head. "Neither of us has spent much time with him over the last week. He's been working and I've concentrated on getting Peter better – he thinks it's just a bad case of flu."

"How can we help?" Rhodey inquired, his eyes soft as he watched Tony and Peter. "It seems a bit unfair to keep Tony and Peter separated, especially with the closeness of their relationship."

"But, Ben—" Tony began, when a phone ringing cut him off.

May grabbed her phone from the coffee table and scowled as she looked at the caller ID. "It's my supervisor, hang on—Hello?"

Tony lifted his head and watched as May's face abruptly paled, and her eyes widened in fear. "I understand. I'll be there as soon as I can!" She stood abruptly as she disconnected the phone and looked around wildly.

Peter sat up; his eyes wide. "Aunt May?"

"It's Ben – he's been shot!"

Pepper immediately leapt up, grabbing May's arm. "Let's go get you a bag and Happy will drive us to the hospital. Rhodey, grab a few things for Peter so he can come with us."

They were all out the door within fifteen minutes and piled into the car. It was a tight squeeze and Peter sat on Tony's lap in order for them to fit, Pepper accompanied May into the hospital and was back down in ten minutes with an update for Peter, who wasn't allowed in the ICU.

"Ben is going to be fine, Peter," were the first words out of her mouth as she slid back into the car. "He was wounded in the upper chest, above the ballistic shield of his vest and has a bit of a head wound where a bullet grazed him. They are calling in a specialist from Metro-General Hospital to do a consult, but he should fine and home in a couple days."

Tony sighed in relief but was startled when Peter's reaction was to sob. He shot Pepper a panicked look, as she reached over to run her hand up and down the boy's arm.

"It's all right, sweetie. I know it must be rough to be shoved back into an eight-year-old's body, but it's perfectly acceptable to cry when you get good news. And May said she'd join us at the hotel after visiting hours tonight. It's closer than the apartment."

Peter, who had managed to squirm around and bury his face in Tony's shoulder again, just nodded. They'd gone back to the hotel and fed Peter a light lunch. Tony could see that Peter's spider metabolism had started to take hold as he was able to eat two whole sandwiches, as well as a bowl and a half of soup. Happy and Rhodey had taken Peter down to the gift shop for a pair of swim trunks and then up to the roof-top swimming pool for a couple hours, both to take his mind off his uncle and to give Tony and Pepper a bit of alone time on their wedding day.

It was a perplexed May Parker who joined them that evening. Peter had insisted he stay up until she had arrived, and Tony didn't have the heart to do anything but agree. She plopped down on the couch with Pepper and Tony, Peter immediately climbing into her lap, bringing a smile to her face.

"I forgot how much you liked to cuddle when you were little," May teased him and Tony covered his smile with his hand as Peter pouted.

"How's Ben?" Pepper asked as she retrieved May a glass of red wine.

May took a deep sip of the wine, her chin resting on Peter's head. "Physically, he's fine. The bullet went through his left shoulder and shattered his shoulder blade, but, thankfully, didn't hit anything vital. He's going to be in a sling for a few months but the damage should heal completely. The head wound is shallow and Dr. Strange—"

Tony and Peter both groaned, loudly.

"—said all his neurological functions were normal." She smirked at Tony before sobering. "Tony, what happened when you, uh—"

"Died?" Tony quipped and tried to duck both Pepper and Rhodey's smacks. "Ow! No sense in dancing around it!" he looked at May. "As much as I'd like to blame the wizard—"

"—sorcerer—" Peter corrected with a grin.

Tony ignored him. "—I really think it was the Infinity stones who sent me back." He rubbed his face. "After I used the stones, everything went dark, and I floated for a while. I heard whispers about changing things, that the cost was too high, to protect Peter so that the universe wouldn't fracture." Tony swallowed hard, remembering. "The Mind stone told me she would repair the damage her powers had done to my mind and told me to reweave the broken strands of the universe."

Holding on to Peter, May leaned forward. "What was said about those of us who were sent back with you?"

Thinking hard, Tony went through the memory again. "Pete was mentioned several times, he is apparently pivotal in all this, and that those I trusted most would join me to help."

"Think hard, Tony," May demanded fiercely, her eyes intent. "Were those the exact words said?"

Tony stared at her for a moment, replaying the words in his mind. "No – the stone said 'those most trusted' would join me."

May nodded and took a deep breath. "That makes more sense and explains why I remember, too." She shot Tony a look. "While we may have butted heads over what was best for Peter at times, I always trusted you and, apparently you trusted me as well."

Tony frowned, staring at May, and wondering what this was all about, as he'd assumed May would remember. She was just too important to Peter not to send her back to help protect his kid.

"It will make more sense if I tell you what Ben explained to me this afternoon," May settled back, brushing a hand through Peter's hair, and shooting Tony a fond look. "The night Peter and I came back; Ben had a nightmare of his own. He dreamt he had died just after Peter had been bitten by the spider and then watched everything that happened after he was gone, including you taking Peter to Germany, Tony," May informed him with an evil grin and Tony felt his heart plummet.

"Uh oh," Peter whispered, looking over at Tony with mischievous eyes.

"Well, that won't happen this time so—" Tony backtracked rapidly, to everyone's' amusement.

"You can try to justify it that way," May mused. "However, this knowledge of the future was also what got Ben shot today, as he remembered the incident when they were dispatched to respond. It seems he and his partner had been delayed in their original response to a hold-up alarm by a red light and the bodega owner had been killed. This time he hit his lights and siren, driving through the light, and was on scene in time to intercept the bullet, saving the owner's life."

Tony's jaw dropped, silenced by surprise, but Rhodey expressed his emotions perfectly.

"Are you shitting me?"

They had stayed in New York for several days, taking care of Peter while May stayed with Ben. Happy had conspired with Tony to enhance the security on the Parkers' apartment and the building it was in, including a working elevator. Tony and Pepper had spoken to May, who had been notoriously stubborn in their past timeline about accepting anything from Tony. This time, they were able to convince her that things were different, and the Parkers had become family. Ben faced months of physical therapy once his shoulder healed and might not be able to return to being a police officer. It made sense to have him join them on the Time Team, to help analyze the events they should look at, to change what was coming and help chart what they'd changed.

Pepper and Happy flew back to California on Wednesday, while Rhodey stayed in New York with Tony. Ben had been released from the hospital that morning and Peter went home with May to help make sure things were ready for him. Tony planned to speak to Ben the next morning, and then he and Rhodey would head back to California. They had a new element to make, a meeting Friday morning with the military committee who hopefully would oversee the Iron Man missions, and Agent Coulson Friday afternoon.

Detouring to a small diner just around the corner from the hotel, Tony and Rhodey decided to have a quick dinner before returning to the hotel. Having deemed his stomach sufficiently recovered to handle the grease, Tony munched happily on a cheeseburger. Rhodey rolled his eyes at his friend's antics, keeping his eyes out for anyone who might recognize Tony. A baseball cap pulled low over his hair and dressed down in a band tee shirt and jeans, no one gave them a second look.

Arriving safely back at their floor, they parted at the elevator landing, Rhodey headed to his adjoining room to take a shower before he joined Tony in the sitting room of the suite. Tony waved distractedly, checking his phone for any text messages from JARVIS or Peter. He'd given Peter a new cellphone, reasoning he was a sixteen-year-old in his mind, therefore old enough to have one. Grimacing at the slowness of his phone, Tony vowed to get a new, upgraded version of the phone on the market as soon as possible – they'd blow the current phones out of the water.

Using his keycard, Tony let himself into the suite, rolling his eyes as he manually flipped on the entry lights. JARVIS, installed in his watch as well as his phone, was silent as Tony grumbled about the inconvenience of not having his AI installed in the suite. As he continued into the sitting room, Tony stopped suddenly, a feeling of uneasiness coming over him.

"JARVIS," he said quietly. "Scan the suite—"

As he spoke, a shadow detached itself from beside the floor to ceiling windows, a silhouette highlighted by the ambient light from the surrounding buildings. Silently cursing himself for not making sure he had more protection Stane had a Sonic Taser, for fucks sake! Tony took a step back as the figure moved towards him, slowly, arms held away from his sides.

"Mr. Stark?" a male voice said softly, tone pitched low. "I swear, I'm not here to hurt you."

Tony's fingers finally found the light switch and flipped it up, the table lamp coming on and illuminating the individual. His eyes widened as he immediately identified the man standing in his hotel room and his heart began to pound painfully.

"Barnes?" Tony asked incredulously, knowing if the man had been activated as the Winter Solider, he'd be dead already.

"Yes," James Barnes confirmed, taking another slow step, so he was fulling in the light. His glove-covered hands were held out, palms up, and away from his body, showing Tony that they were empty.

Tony stood watching him, trying to draw enough oxygen into his diminished lungs to calm his heart. Bucky Barnes of 2009 should have been in cryogenic storage in Siberia unless he'd been activated for a mission. This man looked different than he remembered – clean, dressed casually, with his eyes bright, intelligent, and aware. Very different from the man Tony had fought with in that godforsaken bunker a lifetime or two ago. Clenching his trembling hands into fists, torn between fear and resignation, Tony took as deep a breath as he could, hoping his voice wouldn't reveal the emotions gripping him.

"When did you see me last?" Tony asked, his tone coming out harsher than he meant, wondering when everything had gotten so crazy.

"On a battlefield up state, Stark," Barnes' eyes beseeched him. "You died snapping your fingers. Fucking Thanos!"

The air whooshed out of his lungs and Tony collapsed onto the nearest couch. "What the fuck!" he swore as he waved a hand at Barnes. "Sit! It feels like you're looming over me right now!"

Barnes gingerly sat in an armchair, the two of them stared at each other for several long moments. Tony spent the time struggling to calm his racing heart, trying to fathom why the stones sent his parents' murderer back to help him. How in the universe was Bucky Barnes one of his most trusted?

"Tony!" Rhodey's voice sounded shrill with panic. "What is the Winter Soldier doing sitting in the living room?"

"Infinity stones, apparently," Tony answered, his eyes still on a clearly confused Barnes. "How did you find us, anyway?"

Rhodey sat down beside Tony on the couch, an intense scowl on his face as he watched Barnes' every move. The man seemed to take a minute to gather his thoughts before he met Tony's eyes.

"That was pure luck, Mr. Stark. I was actually following Dr. Strange, hoping to have a conversation with him, when I saw Ms. Potts at the hospital. I then tracked your car back here."

Tony wanted to roll his eyes at the mention of the not-yet-sorcerer's name. "Why don't you start from the beginning and tell us what you remember."

Barnes sighed and shifted in his seat, leaning forward with his arms on his thighs, hands clasped between them. "The clearest memory was when we were fighting the—whatever they were. I saw your spider kid swing by with that fucking gauntlet in his hands. I had been close enough to see it when the bastard snapped us all to dust in Wakanda, so I knew we needed to keep it away from Thanos. Danvers took it, until she got hit. But then Thanos had it and you were struggling with him; he tried to snap, but you had the stones and snapped instead." Pausing, Barnes swallowed. "The rest is hazy – I actually thought I was dreaming but I'm not sure. I went to your funeral with Sam, and then helped him and Bruce set up the time machine to send Steve back to return the stones. He didn't come back, though, only showing up as an old man to give Sam his shield—"

"That motherfucker took the shield back with him!" Tony sputtered, enraged.

Barnes shrugged. "No! He didn't have it on the platform; it was destroyed during the battle with Thanos! Had Thor's hammer in his hand, actually. Anyway, everything went to shit after that. The world was overwhelmed with all the Returned, then someone had replicated the Super Soldier serum, and something with Zemo." Straightening up, Barnes shook his head as if to clear it. "It became a nightmare, even before that, I tried to reason how Steve, my supposed best friend, could go back to the 1940s and relive his life without a care to what he knew was happening around him."

Tony exchanged a look with Rhodey. "What do you mean?"

"I thought you were the genius," Barnes muttered, before sighing. "Steve knew I'd been captured after I fell off that train. Yet when he went back in time, he did nothing to find me, even knowing I was being tortured and used as a killing machine all those years."

Tony winced at the look in Barnes' eyes, dawning horror at the truth of what Barnes was saying filled him.

"And he did nothing! He could have intervened and saved your parents!" Barnes drew a ragged breath, his voice raw.

"He knew HYDRA was imbedded in SHIELD!" Rhodey gasped.

"And would have kept Peggy from marrying Daniel," Tony said grimly, looking at Rhodey. "Did his changes in the original timeline effect our ability to stop Thanos from wiping out half the universe?"

They were all silent for a moment, each immersed in their own thoughts. Tony was still dumbfounded that of all people, Barnes had been sent back to assist them.

"When did you come back?" Rhodey asked quietly.

"Woke up from cryo about a week ago," Barnes answered. "HYDRA had a mission they wanted me to do and gave me a file folder with the details of a rising politician's wife they wanted killed, to bring the man in line. I didn't pay too much attention as my mind was reeling from how clear it was and the rush of memories I had. I went along with the handler, who dumped me off at the Canadian border. I made my way here when I
discovered it was 2009. All I could think of was to make contact with Strange, who had made portals for us in Wakanda, when I saw your wife."

Alarmed, Tony nodded; he didn't like how easy it had been to track them down. With Stane loose and most likely conspiring again with terrorists, none of them were safe. How was he to trust this man?

"Sgt. Barnes? Do you trust Tony and I?" Rhodey inquired in the same quiet voice.

Barnes swiveled his head, meeting Rhodey's eyes. "Absolutely, Colonel Rhodes, with my life. Despite the circumstances of the past and the incident in Siberia, Mr. Stark worked tirelessly to clear my name, get the government to pardon me, and clear the way for me to return to the States. He worked with the Wakandans to craft me a new arm and lent them the technology which cleared the trigger words from my mind." Barnes looked back at Tony. "I know I was sent back to help you make changes."

"'Those most trusted.' That's what the stones said?" Rhodey looked at Tony, who frowned but nodded. "Sgt. Barnes trusts you emphatically."

Barnes gave him an imploring look. "I'll do whatever I need to, Mr. Stark, but I need your help as well."

"What is it?"

"There is a tracker in this arm, which is sure to be a problem when I don't report to my handler in two days."

"Well, crap!"

Actually, there were two different trackers in the metal arm, along with a remotely controlled neural paralyzer, designed to knock Barnes out if he were to disobey his handler. With Rhodey's help, Tony had the arm cleared within thirty minutes. Barnes, who admitted to not eating in the past two days, was sent into the kitchenette to scavenge for food.

Collapsing back onto the couch, Tony toppled over so his head fell into Rhodey's lap. "Jeez, Barnes was about the last person I would have thought would be sent to help us."

Rhodey ran a hand through Tony's hair, much like he'd done to the scared, self-destructive, and brilliant fourteen-year-old who became his roommate. "It makes sense in a way, especially with his mind clear and the triggers removed, Tones. He is one of the physically strongest among us, and if I remember my history, he was a brilliant strategist during the Howling Commandos raids against the Red Skull."

"Plus, he's probably the only one Captain head-up-ass would listen to," Tony spat out, really wanting nothing more than to break into the mini-bar but refused to give up his hard-won sobriety.

"Like anyone could talk any sense into that stubborn punk," Barnes commented, settling back into the chair, putting a plate with two thick sandwiches and a bowl of Lucky Charms down on the table. "Thanks for this."

Tony waved away his thanks. "Eat, Barnes." He looked up at Rhodey. "Why didn't anyone tell me we had Lucky Charms?" he asked indignantly.

"Peter ate them for breakfast every day, Tones!" Rhodey arched an eyebrow. "We could have gotten Pop Tarts, but Happy was afraid Thor would show up!"

Tony chortled as he sat up. "Yeah, that guy really did love his Pop Tarts."

Barnes concentrated on his food, watching the byplay without comment. Tony had not been around the former assassin after he'd been hauled to Wakanda. He knew Barnes had chosen to go back into cryofreeze initially, until Princess Shuri, with the help of BARF, had been able to remove the trigger words. Shuri had been Tony's only contact and he'd refused to ask Steve anything about his best friend.

His phone ringing made him jump and Tony saw it was Pepper. "Hey, Pep. Are you home?"

Pepper's image appeared on the phone, a tired look on her beautiful face and Tony winced. He knew she was bearing the brunt of the responsibilities for SI in his name. As soon as he was back in California and Stane dealt with, Tony was going to make her the Chief Operations Officer, just a step away from CEO. During the flux period, they would replace several board members and executive positions, as well as eliminate Stane's Chief Finance Officer position.

"Yes, finally. Luckily, the chef left steak and salad for dinner." Pepper turned the phone to show Happy sitting at the kitchen island, happily munching on his steak. "Happy says it's amazing."

Tony rolled his eyes. "I hope he enjoys it, just like the Lucky Charms he forgot to tell me were here!"

Pepper turned the phone back toward her. "Your stomach isn't up to either steak or sugary cereal, Tony. Besides, that was Peter's – you would eat your kid's cereal?" she questioned.

"I'm sure Peter would have shared, Pep," Rhodey raised his voice. "Although Tony ate every bite of his cheesebur—"

"Oh, hey, guess who showed up tonight?" Tony cut across Rhodey's words as he turned the phone toward Barnes, who looked up in surprise.

Pepper gasped, Rhodey groaned, and Tony could hear Happy's fork clatter onto his plate. "Tony! Is that—"

"Yes, the one and only," Tony confirmed, turning the phone back. "Sent back as well, healthy of body and mind."

Pepper tilted her head and gave Tony a long look. "All right, we can use all the help we can get. He's hired and can work with Happy on protecting you."

"But honey!" Tony sputtered. "I'm Iron Man, I don't need—"

"Until you are able to reconstruct some of your later suits, you need someone protecting you, Tony. Stane slipped through the FBI's arrest team's perimeter and had a group of mercenaries meeting him. The only good thing was that he left the plane on the tarmac in a convoy of SUVs, so never saw the waiting agents."

With a slow nod, and a glance at Barnes, Tony agreed. "We'll need to figure out a few things, but it's probably the best for now. I'm going to do my best to bring the Parkers with us as well tomorrow. I think we need a strategy session."

"Sounds like the best option, Tony. I'll make sure the guest rooms are prepared and have JARVIS order groceries."

They spoke for several more minutes, Tony walking into the bedroom for a more private goodnight to his wife. He stood at the windows, looking out at the lights of the city.

"Are you really all right, Tony?" Pepper's tone was warm, but worried.

"Yeah," Tony whispered, one hand splayed over the arc reactor. "I was startled—" Pepper snorted. "—okay, terrified when I first saw Barnes, but he's clear headed and seems completely genuine." Drawing in a breath and blowing it out, he continued. "Barnes said you invited him to my funeral, so you must have thought there was no danger, especially around Morgan."

A frown creased Pepperʻs forehead. "I must have, Damn!" She exclaimed. "I wish I could remember clearly!"

"Itʻs okay, honey," Tony soothed. "It just tells me you, Rhodey, Happy, and Pete thought he was okay." He rubbed the back of his neck. "And Iʻd be no better than Wanda if I blamed the weapon instead of who aimed it."

Pepper gave him a gentle smile. "Just bring everyone home with you, Tony. I need your young body here with me."

"Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse, Mrs. Stark." Tony winked at her. "See you tomorrow, babe."

"Good night, love." Pepper gave him a saucy grin.

Chapter Text

After a stop to outfit Barnes with a few changes of clothes and toiletries, they all headed to the Parkers apartment. Peter was waiting in the doorway and threw himself at Tony as they stepped out of the elevator, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Mr. Tony!"

Tony scooped him up. "Good morning to you, Underoos!"

Peter wrapped his arms around Tony’s shoulders and hugged him tightly. "Mr. Tony! Uncle Ben is better, and we are all going to California with you!"

"Yes, you are!" Tony mimicked Peter’s excited tone before giving him a loud kiss on the ear.

"Mr. Stark!" squealed Peter, ducking his head. "Stop!"

"Thought I was Tony, kid," Tony laughed, noticing May standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "Your uncommonly hot aunt is giving us the evil eye, buddy."

Rhodey snorted as May stepped aside and Tony led the way into the apartment, pausing to kiss May’s cheek. Peter giggled as she smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

"Good morning, Mr. Stark," Ben Parker greeted him with a smile, left arm immobilized in an elaborate sling.

"Tony, please," he responded, his left arm supporting Peter. "You’ve met Rhodey, and this is— "

"Sergeant James Barnes," Ben whispered, his eyes wide. "I never expected— "

Barnes threw Tony an uneasy look. "I can go— "

"No!" Ben extended his right hand. "My grandfather served in the 107th Infantry, sir. It is an immense honor to meet you." A smile curved his lips. "If I remember right from my dream, you were given a full pardon before the world went to hell in a hand basket."

Tony and Peter both watched as Barnes gently took the hand. "The pleasure is mine, sir."

"Is everyone ready?" Rhodey asked, seeing several suitcases sitting inside the door.

"We are." May gave Tony a look. "We had a family meeting last night and decided we’d do whatever we needed to, in order to help. I know last time I wasn’t very cooperative—"

"May." Tony interrupted with a warm smile. "I appreciate the support, and as Barnes’ appearance reminded me last night, I need to know my family is safe."

She nodded, knowing they would discuss it later. "Did you go potty, Peter?"

"Oh my god, Aunt May!" Peter’s voice was muffled from where he was trying to bury it in Tony’s shoulder. "Yes!"

The adults laughed at Peter's embarrassment, while Tony just grinned, one hand rubbing Peter's back. Rhodey and Barnes made short work of the luggage, and everyone was soon seated in the back of the limo. Tony passed the apartment keys to a large man dressed in a black suit who materialized from the shadows, giving the man a nod before rolling up the window.

The trip to the airport was relaxed, Peter pouting as he was strapped into a booster seat. Tony sat by him, quietly talking about the last chemical formula Peter remembered creating for his spider webs, which Peter enthusiastically described. Listening with a smile, Tony knew they would need to keep Peter busy, both mentally and physically, just to keep him sane. It was one thing to have his fifty-three-year-old mind sent back into his 39-year-old self. But it was a whole different thing going from a sixteen-year-old to an eight-year-old.

The flight back to California was smooth, with everyone chatting about inconsequential things, getting to know each other. Peter had insisted on exploring the jet once they were at cruising altitude. As he watched Peter disappear into the bar area, Tony cringed as he remembered the flight to Kabul with Rhodey. He definitely needed to have the jet remodeled right away. Tony also wanted to recreate the technology that powered the Quinjets and the helicarriers. So much to do, he thought, adding to the list he was making on his tablet. Peter would come in handy, as would Rhodey, both of whom had helped to create advances in various technologies in the other past.

Tony would need to increase Rhodey's consultant pay, something he'd started when he'd taken over Stark Industries at twenty-one. Rhodes also received a portion of the profits for each patent Tony had put his name on. His platypus was almost as bad as May Parker had been about taking anything from Tony, and this had been his way around his friend's objections. Rubbing a hand over his chin, Tony had an epiphany and quickly sent a message to JARVIS to set up the same arrangement for the Parkers. That way anything Peter helped him invent or created on his own, the profit share would go into an account the Parkers would control.

"Dad! You have a bathtub on your plane!"

Peter's voice carried forward from the back of the plane, catching him off guard and causing his heart to palpitate. He shot Ben and May a sheepish smile, as Rhodey grinned madly. Tony may have thought of Peter as his kid for years now – and had dreamed of him calling Tony "Dad" during the five years he was gone – but he never thought he would.

"Happy owes me money!" Rhodey quipped to May, who rolled her eyes.

"I don't even want to know," Tony griped. "My best friends betting on my life again."

"He slipped a couple of times and called you that to me, Tony," May told him quietly.

Smiling, Ben nodded. "From what he was saying last night, Tony, he felt that you were his father figure. I'm glad you stepped into that role for him, and I don't think Richard would have minded."

"I thought of him that way, "Tony croaked out, taking a minute to swallow passed the lump in his throat. "I just never thought—never expected him to want—"

Peter came running back into the seating area, bouncing as he beelined for Tony. "Can I take a bath on your plane sometime?"

"Yeah, kiddo, you sure can," Tony assured him and Peter leaned in to give him a hug.

"Drive-by hugging," Ben muttered as Peter bounced over and flopped down in the seat beside Rhodey, who was across from Barnes.

"Hello, Mr. Sergeant Barnes!"

Surprising Tony, Barnes grinned at the kid. "It's nice to meet you, Queens."

Tony watched as Peter's shoulders sagged. "You don't remember?"

Barnes blinked at him, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Germany? I stopped your cool metal arm."

"You did!" Barnes gave him a small smile. "My memory isn't always the best, but I definitely remember that." He looked Peter up and down. "Were a bit bigger then, as I recall."

"Yeah," Peter agreed, pointing at his head. "But I remember everything." He tilted his head at Barnes. "Are you better now, Mr. Sergeant Barnes?"

"You can call me Bucky, kid. And, yeah, I got a lot of help, so I'm better."

"I'm glad, Mr. Bucky. And I know we'll be glad you came back to help us."

Tony could see the sixteen-year-old shining in Peter's eyes.

"Why's that, kid?"

"Because you'll keep Mr. Tony safe and not let Captain America hurt him this time." Peter's voice was dead serious and no nonsense.

Barnes' head snapped up and he made eye contact with Peter. "That's the plan, short stuff."

"Good," Peter answered, a definite undertone to his voice.

"Underoos?" Tony interjected, hoping to defuse the moment. "You hungry?"

Peter made his way over to Tony, who handed him a leather-bound menu. They conspired on what looked best, before the menu was passed around. The attendents brought their lunches and Tony smiled as he watched Peter demolish two different kinds of sandwiches and a bowl of fruit. By the time he and Pete were finished eating, Ben and Rhodey were asleep in their seats. May was reading and Barnes was writing in a small notebook.

Guiding Peter to the back of the plane, Tony sat on the couch with Peter beside him and asked him to describe the chemical properties of the web formula Peter had used as a field dressing. Peter immediately began to describe what he'd used, the molecular makeup of the compound, and its properties. Tony nodded as his kid spoke, remembering it was something the two of them had talked about patenting, before that fateful day when a donut shaped spaceship had showed up in New York City. The day he'd told Pepper about his dream of their child, Morgan.

He didn't know if he'd have survived in the aftermath of Peter dusting in ````````his arms, and the subsequent nightmare return from Titan, if they hadn't had Morgan. His grief and guilt had been almost more than he could handle – especially after Strange had given up the time stone for him. The dusting of half the universe was too high a cost for his life—

"Dad?" Peter whispered, cuddling against his side. "Are you okay?"

Tony shook his head. "No, Underoos, got caught in memories."

Peter gave him a knowing look. "Titan?"

Pulling him into his lap, Tony buried his nose in Peter's curls. "Yeah, but it's okay, because I know we're going to change things this time around." He kept Peter on his lap, reaching for his tablet. "Now, how about you start listing some of the other specialty formulas you used, especially those with the highest tensile strength and all the important information you can remember about your Spider Man adventures."

Peter immediately began tapping on the tablet, while Tony tilted his head back, letting the reassuring weight of Peter in his lap relax him.

A hand carding through his hair woke Tony and he looked up to find Rhodey sitting next to them on the couch, Peter still curled up in his lap.

"Come back to your seat, Tones, we’re on approach."

Letting Rhodey lift Peter up, Tony followed him back to the main cabin and buckled in while May helped Rhodey strap Peter into his booster chair. The landing was smooth and the gentle touching of wheels on the tarmac was just enough to wake Peter up and he looked out the window eagerly. It took only a few minutes for everyone to unbuckle and gather their belongings.

The mid-day sun was shining brightly as Happy waited for them with the Bentley and Rhodey helped him stow the luggage in the trunk before leading Barnes over to Tony’s Audi R8 sedan parked next to the larger car. Tony was sure the ex-assassin would get a version of the shovel talk on the way up to the house. Tony slid into the passenger seat of the Bentley, as the Parkers occupied the back. Luckily, Happy had transferred the booster seat for Peter, who happily pressed his face to the window, trying to take in everything as they drove the Pacific Coast Highway.

"Who's with Pepper?" Tony asked in a quiet voice, a tendril of panic stirring.

"She’s fine, Boss," Happy told him. "She’s working from your lab at the mansion, with JARVIS and the bots watching her."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Tony nodded. "She’ll stay there until we get back?"

"She promised and JARVIS put the property on lockdown."

"Okay, good." Tony breathed, turning to look out the window, resolving to give JARVIS a bit more bite in his defense systems for the mansion.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, Hap?" Tony glanced over at his friend.

"Is that really Bucky Barnes?"

"Yup."

"Damn."

Tony had to grin at Happy’s understated exclamation. He closed his eyes, listening with half an ear as Peter exclaimed about the scenery. Apparently, Peter had always wanted to see sandy beaches and the ocean, something a Queens kid wouldn’t have seen around NYC. In all the years Tony had known the kid, Peter had asked nothing personal of him – nothing. Making sure Peter was fed, his suits updated, the occasion tech gift, and, towards the later years, splitting some of the school costs with May. He’d never thought to suggest a trip, other than the one to Germany, and even that was for Tony’s benefit.

That would have to change, Tony decided.

Pepper was indeed waiting inside his lab when the cars pulled into the garage, not exiting until JARVIS had secured the gate and the garage entrance, with the newest security protocols in place. Fury wasn’t walking into his house uninvited ever again. Dum-E and U rolled out in front of Pepper as she opened the thick glass door and walked to meet them as Rhodey pulled up behind the Rolls. Peter beat them all out of the car and almost tackled Pepper with his enthusiastic hug. His aunt and uncle followed at a more sedate pace, greeting Pepper with quiet smiles. Tony managed to get through the crowd to draw his wife into a hug, giving her a chaste kiss.

"Eww," Peter muttered, grinning when Tony raised an eyebrow at him, as the others laughed.

Tony could feel Pepper stiffen as Barnes stepped into sight with Rhodey behind him. He ran his hand up and down her back as Rhodey stepped around them and escorted the Parkers up the stairs to the living room. Barnes stopped in front of Pepper and inclined his head in a sign of respect.

"Mrs. Stark,’ Barnes acknowledged softly.

"Sgt. Barnes," Pepper returned thoughtfully, "I have a vague memory of you assisting me on the battlefield."

"Yes, ma’am."

She gave him a nod and a hard look. "If Tony is able to put the past behind him, then I can do the same, Sergeant, but if you ever hurt him again…"

A small smile curved the former Winter Soldier's lips, as well as Tony’s as the slender, strawberry blonde glowered. "I won’t.

Slipping her arm around Tony, they proceeded Barnes up the stairs and into the foyer, then up to the living room. Rhodey was in the kitchen preparing drinks for everyone, a basket of muffins and a bowl of fruit on the island already being inspected by Peter. Happy was at the large sliding glass panels which led out to the deck, showing the Parkers the amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. When Tony walked in with Pepper and Barnes, Peter flew off the stool and wrapped himself around Tony’s legs.

"Mr. Tony! You have a pool on your porch!" He practically vibrated with excitement. "I have my new swimsuit to swim in, and I don’t know how to swim, but I would like to go into your swimming pool, if you let me!"

Tony swept him up and gave him a hug. "We will, Roo, but we’ve got to do a few things first. We need to have a strategy meeting to decide what we need to do, and could yuse your input?"

"Yeah, sure, Dad!"

Pepper’s head whipped around, and her smile was a bit tearful while Tony ruffled Peter’s hair, seting him down. Happy and the Parkers had wandered over and Rhodey carried a tray of drinks to the dining room table.

"Does anyone need to change or anything before we start?" Pepper asked.

Tony nudged Peter towards the bathroom on the main floor, ignoring the scathing look the boy gave him as he disappeared inside. May smiled at him from across the room, where she stood talking to Pepper. Rhodey had gotten May and Ben seated by the time the bathroom door opened. Peter stepped out, grabbing Tony’s hand with damp fingers, reminding him of Morgan, who was always too impatient to fully dry her hands.

"You want anything else to eat, Underoos?" Tony asked as they walked to join the others.

"Do you have grapes?" Peter looked up at him.

"I think we do—"

"I’ve got some here, Tones," Rhodey said, pointing at the fruit bowl.

Peter clambered up onto the seat at Tony’s left, with Pepper on his right. Rhodey sat at the foot of the table, with Barnes and Happy on Pepper’s side of the table. Once everyone was seated, Tony clasped his hands together on the table and shared a look with Pepper.

"So to start, I will tell you that Rhodey and my last clear memory was on the battlefield at the Compound as I snapped my fingers and dusted Thanos." He looked at the others. "Happy, what was your last, clear memory?"

"I was at the lake house with Morgan, feeding her dinner just after Pepper left for the Compound." He stared down at his hands for a moment. "I have vague memories of your, ah, funeral—," he cleared his throat noisily. "Then, a memory of the kid," he nodded at Peter, "getting into trouble in Europe, before vanishing without anyone noticing, except Morgan, who thought his name was Peter Stark." Happy took a deep breath. "Next thing I knew, I'm waking up to get ready to pick you up at Edwards and felt like I'd gone a few rounds in the ring, with vague memories crowding my head. Then, I was sitting in the Bentley waiting for Pepper to come out of the SI offices to take her to air strip."

"I remember about the same as Rhodey," Pepper interjected. "On the battlefield with Tony and then foggy memories of May and Peter with us at the house, the trouble in Europe, Captain Ass—, er, Rogers disappearing, and Sam Wilson fighting someone with Sgt. Barnes."

Tony reached over and took her hand.

"I dozed off in the Bentley on the way to Edwards, waking up with a blinding headache and all my memories."

May and Ben recounted their experiences, with Rhodey explaining about waking up on the cargo plane with Tony. Peter had to climb up onto Tony’s lap in order to get through retelling his experiences with Mysterio, Dr. Strange, and the other Peters. The information from the stones about the rifts in the universe did not surprise Tony after hearing Peter's story. He was thankful JARVIS was keeping track of the events as each was mentioning as he was occupied hanging on to his kid.

"Sgt. Barnes?" Pepper prompted quietly.

Tony watched as Barnes took a deep breath, his eyes on his hands, tightly clasped on the table in front of him. As Tony studied the metal arm for a moment, he winced when he realized this was Barnes’ original Soviet made prosthetic, which would need to be replaced as soon as possible.

"We were in Wakanda when we came back and I remember the wizard making doorways — portals, I guess — that took us to the battlefield. The last clear thing I remember is Iron Man snapping his fingers." Barnes looked up, his eyes flitting around the table. "Vaguely, I remember Mrs. Stark welcoming us to your home, the service, and then the punk leaving to take the stones back." His lips curled in a sneer. "I knew he wasn’t coming back by the way he said goodbye. Then the whole fiasco with the shield and Sam becoming the new Captain America." He met Tony’s eyes. "Then I woke up back in that god forsaken hellhole in Siberia and knew I had to find Mr. Stark."

"Tony, please," he told him, trying to piece together the puzzle of hazy memories they each had. "JARVIS, let’s try and work these new events into the timeline we've already started." He glanced around the table and knew it was his turn. Peter started to climb down from his lap, but Tony held him firmly. "Don’t go, Roo, I’m not sure I can tell this again without you close."

Peter settled across his lap, laying his head next to the arc reactor and Tony began. He skipped the actual dying part, knowing he would not make it through without breaking down, and relayed his experience with the stones, their whispers, and the hints they gave. Peter reached behind him to loop an arm around his waist as Tony relayed his pivotal role in the second chance they had been given. He explained about the Infinity stones themselves, realizing the Parkers, Happy, and Barnes wouldn’t know their role in the Thanos’ scheme. He emphasized the information about ripping the fabric of time and space, and how Roger’s actions had accelerated the demise. Despite his own feeling over his fatal actions, Tony described the fight against Thanos on Titan, how the monster had known him, and Strange’s assertion of only one chance of ultimately winning.

In a strangled voice, he described the aftermath of the sorcerer giving Thanos the Time stone and how everyone began to turn to dust around him soon after. Tony tried to talk about Peter coming apart in his arms, but he couldn’t force the words out around the lump in his throat. Peter turned around and looped his arms around Tony’s neck, burying his face in his neck as Tony’s wrapped his arms around his kid.

"I love you, too, Dad." Peter whispered and Tony blinked his eyes, trying to stop the tears.

There was silence for several minutes as Tony struggled to regain his composure.

"Mr—Tony, what happened during the years we were gone?" Barnes asked quietly. "I didn't know anyone well enough to ask."

Dragging in a deep breath, Tony met Pepper’s eyes. "I was luckier than most, despite the devastation of losing my kid, as Pepper, Rhodey and Happy were still here. I retired from the Avengers and moved to the house I built as a wedding present for Pepper. We got married, had a daughter, Morgan, and tried to get on with living—"

"Peter’s absence almost broke him," Pepper cut in, almost whispering. "I really think the only thing that pull Tony out of the spiral of depression was Morgan."

"The world struggled, over half the population had either disappeared or been killed in the Snap." Rhodey interjected. "Those of us Avengers left, Cap, Natasha, me, with Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, tried to do what we could to figure out a way to reverse what Thanos had done."

"It was really bad for a while," Happy added. "The pollution from the millions dusted was bad enough, but when you realized that the dust in the air and the water was actually, well, people, it was devastating. Pepper directed SI and the Maria Stark Foundation to open mental wellness outreach centers and programs." He shook his head. "Some people never got over it and there were a lot of incidents of violence and looting."

"There were shortages everywhere, food, clean water, building material, and people to do the work. We sold arc reactors around the world at cost to help keep the power on, aggressively recycled everything we could, and were able to supply seeds from SI's Ag Division. Tony planted a huge garden at the house for us." Pepper smiled.

"Then, five years later," Tony took up the story again. "Steve, Natasha, and that ant guy, Scott Lang, who'd been stuck in the Quantum Realm for those five years, showed up at the house and wanted me to find a way to time travel to a fixed point in the past." He blew out a breath. "I told them no. Told them I couldn't chance destroying what I had gained over those five years – I couldn't risk—"

Pepper reached over to put a hand on Peter's back. "Until Tony realized that he might have a chance to bring Peter back. He figured it out that night." Pride shone through her tone.

Peter lifted his head. "You created time travel for me?"

Rhodey snorted, covering Tony's sputtering. "Absolutely, kiddo, with bringing everyone else back as a plus."

"Anyway!" Tony said loudly. "We are not going to have to do that this time! We're here, all of us, to change what we can so the world doesn't have to go through the same mess again."

There were murmurs of agreement from around the table and Tony hesitated for a moment. There was something about the Time Heist that bothered him, and he was certain something had happened that he just couldn't quite remember. He was sure he'd remember it when they talked about the situation in detail. Barnes, however, still looked anxious, his eyes on his hands.

"Barnes?" Rhodey asked, a crease furrowing his forehead. "You look like you have another question."

The man looked up and his eyes flicked around the table. "I'm just wondering why I was sent back." He held up his hand when Rhodey started to speak. "You are all family, all of you – I'm not, in fact, quite the opposite, unfortunately. So, the only thing I can think of is atonement, something I'm not sure I can ever achieve." A small smile curved his lips. "And before you say anything, I've already gotten the shovel talk from the eight-year-old who can probably kick my—"

Tony snorted, even as Peter's head had whipped around to glare at Barnes. "No, there is no atonement, no penance you need to do, Barnes. The cosmic gems had a reason for sending you back and I have to think, as with all of us, it was to give you a second chance." Shifting Peter around to sit in his lap, Tony held up a hand as Barnes started to speak. "You never asked for HYDRA to brainwash and torture you, to be used as a weapon for decades, before you were able to get away. Here, you are simply Bucky, a member of a select group of people who have been tasked with changing the course this universe is on. Besides, you are probably the remorseful the whispers were talking about. The Mind stone said it had healed our brains from the tampering of the mind stone fueled, so I am confident you won't have any trouble being able to fit into this family, just as Ben has."

"That brings us to some logistical issues," Pepper announced, her no nonsense tone telling everyone the topic was put to rest. "Sgt. Barnes, from what I've read, you helped strategize missions for the Howling Commandos?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Nodding, Pepper tapped on her tablet. "Right now, I think putting you with Rhodey would be best."

Watching Barnes nod, Tony spoke up. "JARVIS, please start fabricating documents for James—"

"Bucky, please," Barnes interjected with a small smile. "No one ever called me James unless I was in trouble."

Tony gave him a look, "—James Buchanan Barnes III – make him the grandson of Sgt. Barnes." Tony tilted his head, looking at Barnes. "Rogers told Natasha once about you two double dating at the first Stark Expo – what was your girlfriend's name?"

"Connie Coleman – Constance Coleman." Barnes rubbed a hand over his face. "She was an Army nurse, treated the 107th when Steve rescued us in Austria. She died in an air raid, I was told."

Tony gave him a nod. "Make her wounded and a secret wedding to Barnes just before he fell from the train. Junior born after she returned to Brooklyn, all the necessary records for that child and his son, including school records, vaccinations, and bank accounts."

"Yes, sir." JARVIS acknowledged.

Smothering a grin, Tony watched as Barnes—Bucky gapped at him.

"Ms. Pepper?"

"Yes, Peter?" Pepper was still tapping on her tablet.

"Mr. Bucky is a really good fighter, maybe he can help Happy give me some lessons?"

Pepper's head popped up. "Excellent idea, Peter, if Bucky wants to, but we'll work that out later. Now, Ben, do you have a preference on what you would like to do when you are healed, if you want to be involved?"

Ben ran his right hand through his hair, in a gesture Tony recognized from Peter, before exchanging a look with May. "After having discussed it with May and Peter, I'm going to go through the healing process and then medically retire from the department. I've been a cop for over twenty years and I'm pretty good with a camera, so I was thinking I could work with Happy."

Happy was already nodding half-way through Ben's statement. "I can use someone trained in protection and threat assessment, Ben."

Pepper made a note on the tablet as Tony watched, his mind swirling with a list of things he needed to do, creating a new element before the palladium can start to poison him first on the list. Add to that testing Peter for learning placement, get things organized for Bucky, and go over what had happened in the next six months.

"Tony?"

May's voice brought Tony's attention back to the group and he gave her a smile.

"You know I love my job," she said, and Tony nodded. "I was pretty stubborn last time, to the detriment of both Peter and me. And while I would like to refuse to live off your money again, I would really like to be a productive member of this team."

"Stubborn really didn't describe—Ow!" Tony scowled as Pepper, and Peter, both smacked him.

"I think pigheaded was your favorite term, Boss," Happy offered in a matter-of-fact tone.

May's eyes twinkled at him, and Tony felt a tiny bit of panic in his chest. "I freely admit to being just that. I know you saw it as a way to help, but all I could see was charity. I ignored your growing attachment to Peter and the fact I was punishing all of us, while you were just trying to keep us safe and to prevent me from working myself to death."

May took a deep breath. "I'd like to help keep track of everything, maybe help Pepper with the things she thinks I can do." May met Tony's eyes. "But I want a hand in educating Peter and a well-equipped medical lab with attached hospital room. Both you boys tend to get yourselves battered and bruised more often than not"

Rhodey and Happy started laughing and Pepper arched an eyebrow. Tony gave her an affronted look, while Peter tried to hide in his chest.

"I've already ordered the necessary supplies, Mrs. Parker." JARVIS started them all. "Which will be assuredly needed if Master Peter is anything like Sir is."

Tony gave the nearest camera a betrayed look. "I don't remember coding sass into your protocols, JARVIS!"

"I am as you made me, Sir,"

"All right, boys," Pepper cut in. "I think that is an excellent idea, myself, May. Now that we've sorted out where everyone will be, we should prioritize a list of things we need to do." She looked at Tony.

Pulling up his mental list, Tony ran his hand through Peter's hair. "First and foremost, I need to recreate the element for the new reactor core before this one can poison me."

May made a sound.

"Rhodey, Bucky, and Peter can help me with that., I just need to get the particle accelerator here—"

"Not here, Tony!" Pepper cut in, with a frown. "You did a hundred thousand dollars in damage to the foundation last time!"

"Sir, there is a vacant laboratory near the arc reactor at Stark Industries."

Grinning, Tony answered. "Perfect, JARVIS, lock it down until we can get in there with the appropriate equipment."

"As you say, Sir."

Tony nodded absently, his eyes glancing at Barnes' metal arm. "While we are at it, maybe we can look into using the element to create a lighter arm for the bionic man over there as well."

Barnes looked surprised and Tony pressed on. "You're back in that heavy Soviet-HYDRA made prosthetic which has to be painful. And I’d wager you’ve never had anything to dull the chronic pain, have you?"

Shaking his head, Barnes started to answer, only to be cut off by JARVIS.

"Sir, there is an attempt being made to hack into my system." The indignation was clear in the AI’s voice.

"SHIELD?"

"Indeed, Sir, and rather clumsily," JARVIS told him. "The nature of this attack seems to be an attempt to create a back door into my mainframe to allow for future access."

Tony tapped a finger thoughtfully on his lips. "Can you divert them into an area where there is no sensitive data? Make them think they’ve accomplished their goal, but lock them into only that section?"

"I believe I can do more, Sir," JARVIS almost sounded smug, and Tony arched an eyebrow. "The type of encryption they are using will allow me to hide within it, giving me access to all of SHIELD’s data."

"Like a Trojan horse," Barnes muttered.

"Quite so, Sgt. Barnes."

Yes, that was indeed smugness in his AI’s voice and Tony exchanged a grin with Peter. "Excellent work, J! Can you infiltrate their servers and pull copies of anything that appears to be related to HYDRA? Especially information on Alexander Pierce, Agents Sitwell, Rumlow, and the STRIKE team."

"Garrett, Rollins, and Whitehall," Barnes added. "Garrett was in charge of the Winter Soldiers, I think." He drew in a deep breath, eyes a bit vacant. "He was a brutal handler."

"JARVIS," Pepper spoke up, her eyes on Barnes pale face. "While you are in SHIELD’s files, I’d like you to copy any and all evidence of them receiving funding from SI, or any Stark family accounts."

"What!" Tony exclaimed, jostling Peter as he swung around.

"Yes, Ms. Potts,"

"Pep?" Tony inquired. "You want to share with the class?"

Pepper looked up, meeting his eyes and Tony loved the fire he saw there.

"In the other past, I had long suspected SHIELD had some deep pocket financing source and as time went on, I began to wonder if your father hadn’t put something in place, as he was one of the founders of SHIELD." Her eyes narrowed. "I always felt that the ridiculous amount of money you spent on the Avengers was incredibly generous and completely unappreciated, but you made the conscious decision to spend it. Any money SHIELD has enjoyed since your father died was theft as no one, but you, had the ability to give permission, which you didn't."

"Would be nice to know as you have that meeting with Coulson tomorrow afternoon, Tones," Rhodey reminded him. "And don't forget the debrief with the brass tomorrow morning."

"Yeah," Tony gave him a thoughtful look. "I'll draw up a rendering of the Mark II suit tonight for them, as well as tell them I'll make one for you as a concession to not mass producing them."

"I'll have a financial breakdown of War Machine ready as well," Pepper added, her eyes gleaming again. "Last time it always seemed like the military continued to subtly press for suits, but if they knew how much each would cost, it might dissuade them, especially if I factor in Tony's usual consultant fee to construct it."

Grimacing Tony simply nodded, knowing Pepper was right. "Sounds good. Now, which direction do we want to go with Coulson?"

"I thought you liked Phil," Pepper stopped typing and looked at him. "Even if he's Fury's right hand, he seemed helpful."

Peter wiggled off Tony's lap and scurried into the kitchen. "Be right back!"

Tony watched him go and sighed. "Agent, along with Fury and Natasha watched me as the palladium began to leech into my blood stream. They knew I was dying for months, saw my behavior get more and more erratic, a common symptom of heavy metal poisoning, but still did nothing. It wasn't until after my birthday, when I had lost all hope, that Fury gave me my father's research notes on a new element he wasn't able to fabricate in his time and ambushed me with a sketchy injection," Tony explained, his hands clasped tightly together. "Put me on house arrest in my own house, cut off all communications, and told me to get my act together, leaving Coulson behind to enforce his orders."

"Injection!" Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey shouted in unison.

Tony took a deep breath at the exclamation. "I asked Coulson if we could get some food brought in, and he told me to get to work, or he'd tase me and watch movies while I lay drooling on the floor." He looked up. "So, I was never really sure where I stood with him."

"Bastard!"

Tony blinked at May, until he remembered her fiery temper and smirked. "Yeah, left me with some trust issues, which lingered even after Coulson died."

"Uh—" Barnes exchanged a glance with Rhodey. "He actually didn't die – he was running some sensitive group before being appointed Director of SHIELD after Fury."

"Who wasn't dead, either," Rhodey interjected. "Fury Dusted but came back to attend your funeral."

"I think I'm gonna need a flowchart for all this," Ben groaned.

Tony sighed, frustrated with the spy organization. "JARVIS?"

"Already started, Sir."

Peter wandered back out, a large bowl of Lucky Charms in his hands. Everyone watched as he clambered up into his seat. He knelt on the chair and began to munch on the cereal. Grinning, Tony reached over to grab a handful of marshmallows while Peter gave him an assessing look, before pushing the bowl to sit between them.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "I'm sure we can find some real food for dinner." She looked at Tony.

Looking around the table, Tony thought for a moment. "Italian or Chinese? I think I can safely eat pasta or stir fry with rice."

They agreed on Italian and JARVIS placed their order as May removed the half full bowl of cereal from the table, making both Tony and Peter pout. Taking the opportunity to freshen up, everyone gathered back at the table in twenty minutes. Pepper was reviewing her notes, sipping on the glass of red wine Happy had gotten for she and May. The men, with the exception of Tony, had bottles of beer and Peter had shared his Sprite with Tony.

"All right, so our priorities are to create Starkanium—"

"Badassium!" Tony whispered to Peter,

"—debrief the military on the suit, turnover the accumulated data on Stane, shore-up security everywhere, meet with Coulson—"

Peter made a noise.

"—new identity for Bucky, look into starting Stark Tower earlier, clear the land up-state where the compound will go, start exposing HYDRA, and begin charting changes." Pepper took another sip. "Anything we else we need at this point?"

"Ms. Potts?"

Tony hid a smile behind his glass as Barnes looked like he wanted to raise his hand.

"Pepper, please."

"Pepper, I think we need to look into Steve Rogers." Barnes looked grim. "When he appeared in 2023, he'd aged dramatically, and while he would have technically been about 180 years old, the Super Soldier Serum he was given should have aged him much slower. When he went back, his appearance was of a man in his thirties. Why did he age at a more normal rate when he went to the past?"

Tony leaned in. "Did he indicate whether he thought he was in our original timeline or a different time stream?"

"He didn't really say much about it, actually, but—" Barnes cut off abruptly.

Tony leaned forward. "Nope, don't hold anything back, Buckaroo!"

Rubbing his flesh hand over his face, Barnes cleared his throat. "Steve said he had come back to the compound precisely at the moment he should have returned from replacing the stones to give his shield to Sam Wilson, who he wanted to succeed him."

Tony nodded, exchanging a glance with Rhodey. He hadn't known Wilson that well. "And that bothers you?"

"No," Barnes said, shaking his head. "What bothers me is where he got the shield. He didn't take it with him when he left, and I personally cleaned out his rooms. It wasn't there, either." He looked up at Tony. "I think we need to make sure there aren’t two Steves already in this timeline, because if our Steve is here, we need to know what he's changed. Especially when frozen Steve is found."

Happy stared at him. "Wait, let me get this straight. Captain America went back in time to replace the Infinity stones in all the different places you people found them and figured out a way to go back to what, like 1945 to reunite with his lost love, Peggy Carter?" he asked, dumbfounded. "The same Peggy Carter who founded SHIELD with Howard freaking Stark, if he was anything like the boss, would have figured out what was going on in about half an hour!"

"And who then stood by and allow the man to be assassinated," Rhodey piped up.

"Yeah," Barnes agreed. "It just doesn't ring true, to have Steve relive his life, with the full knowledge of everything that happened and sit on his hands."

"Who could just let their friends die if he could stop it?" Peter wondered.

Drumming his fingers on the arc reactor, Tony could see how unlike the Steve Rogers he'd know, the one who had damn near put that fucking shield through his chest in a bunker in Siberia for his brainwashed best friend, would let the same best friend be tortured for years without stepping in.

A fragment of a memory suddenly unfolded in Tony's mind, of being in the Tower in New York after the invasion, trying to retrieve the scepter and the Tesseract.

"Damn!" Tony exclaimed, setting his glass down on the table with a clunk. "The Time Heist!"

"The what?" Ben and Bucky said at the same time.

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "After I figured out time travel, Clint, Bruce, Natasha, Steve, Thor, and a few others of us went back to fixed points in time to retrieve the stones before Thanos had gotten them. Those were the stones Hulk used to snap everyone back to life – anyway," Tony cleared his throat. "Long story short, while we were in the Tower, Steve ended up fighting himself for the scepter and told 2012 Steve that you were alive, Bucky."

The man blinked before burying his face in his hands. "Something he wasn't supposed to know until HYDRA sent me to DC to take out Fury in 2014."

"Yes, and that's not all," Tony sighed. "Sitwell and STRIKE tried to take the scepter from him, so Steve whispered 'Heil HYDRA' in Sitwell's ear in order to take the scepter without a problem."

"And you suspect that created changes in that timeline which might impact our efforts?" Rhodey spoke up. "What if we were actually in this timeline when we did the Heist?"

"It's certainly possible, Platypus."

Bucky just groaned and tugged at his hair. "Telling the world's most stubborn punk that his best friend was still alive and not think he's going to immediately start searching for him? Not hardly."

Tony nodded, his hand rubbing over the arc reactor. "Yeah, could be why the stones seemed particularly upset at Steve."

Pepper gave Tony a knowing look. "I added it to the list, we'll definitely need to look into that."

"Sir, your dinner is coming up the driveway."

Chapter Text

Tony followed Rhodey down the hallway in the large two-story brick building on Camp Pendleton, Barnes at his side. They had flown down in one of the SI helicopters for the debriefing with the military, while Happy had accompanied Pepper to work at SI Headquarters. The Parkers were content to stay at the mansion and explore it. Tony was able to concentrate better on the forthcoming meeting, knowing everyone was protected.

Barnes subtly tugged at the hem of his suit jacket and Tony carefully hid a smirk. JARVIS had sent the man’s measurements to Tony’s tailor and by eight that morning, a package consisting of several suits, some smart causal clothing, and underthings had been delivered to the mansion. The navy-blue suit fit Barnes perfectly, but it was clear he wasn’t used to wearing business attire. The SI name tag on his left lapel identified him as J. BARNES III, as did the SI security badge hanging from his breast pocket. May had volunteered to trim his hair the night before, while Pepper decided on suit and shirt colors, both suggesting he’d look better clean shaven. Tony had escaped to the pool with Peter and Rhodey.

"Good morning, gentlemen," General Clarke stood in the hallway as they approached, ushering them into a small meeting room.

Rhodey saluted, before reaching to shake the general’s hand. "Good morning, ma’am."

Tony stepped up, shaking her hand, before turning and introducing Barnes. "General Clarke, this is James Barnes, of my protection detail. He holds the highest security clearance within Stark Industries."

"Mr. Barnes."

The general politely nodded at Barnes, who had his gloved hands clasped in front of him. "Pleasure, ma’am."

Stepping into the room, Barnes immediately posted himself just inside the door, directly behind Tony’s chair, as he and Rhodey sat at the end of the table. Fifteen people sat around the tables, set up to form a U shape in the center of the room, in various military uniforms and the others in black suits. The uniform of the alphabet agencies, Tony thought as he looked at the placards in front of each. All the military branches were represented, along with the ATF&E, DOD, FBI, NSA, CIA, and DHS.

"Now that we are all here, I’ll turn this over to Dr. Stark," General Clarke told the gathering. "With the reminder, once again, whatever technology you are about to see has already been patented and trademarked to Stark Industries or is proprietary to Dr. Stark himself."

"Thank you, General Clarke," Tony picked up his tablet, seeing the notification from JARVIS that he’d connected to the wireless system in the room. "This debrief specifically deals with my capture and escape from the terrorist group known as the Ten Rings in Afghanistan."

Tony walked the attendees through the push for a "scorched earth" missile system, the demand for Tony to personally demonstrate the system in country, and the ambush of his military convoy. Despite being technically fourteen years removed for the actual events, Tony still felt his chest tighten as he spoke of the young soldiers who had died protecting him and going through open heart surgery in a cave. He described the water boarding, being shocked by the car battery, being beaten, and starved. He described the caches of weapons he’d been shown – all of them manufactured by Stark Industries – millions of dollars' worth. Tony took a deep breath, before describing the video that was taped.

"Dr. Stark," the CIA representative interrupted, her voice holding a tone of disbelief. "You are aware that no such ransom video was received—"

"Oh, it was received all right," Tony shot back, tapping on the tablet. "I’m going to step out while you watch this."

As JARVIS queued up the video, Barnes opened the door for him and followed Tony out. Walking back to the atrium of the building, where large windows brought in soft light filtering through the thin layer of high fog, Tony took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a panic attack.

"You okay?" Barnes asked quietly, coming to stand next to him.

Tony nodded, suppressing a shudder as the memory threatened to emerge. "And Rhodey saw it last night, so he should be okay." He rubbed a hand over his chest. "I still have nightmares."

Barnes’ swiveled to meet his eyes. "I can definitely relate to that."

Hearing the door behind them open, Tony turned and felt a bit guilty as a paler Rhodey motioned to them. "Sorry, Honey Bear," he muttered as he walked past him into the room.

Ignoring the stares from the people around the table, Tony picked up his tablet and tapped, watching as JARVIS flashed the files full of evidence onto the screen in rapid succession.

"This evidence was pulled from files on the SI servers as well as Obadiah Stane’s office computer." Tony glanced around the room, stopping on General Clarke. "The FBI already has this information and attempted to take Stane into custody last week, but he was able to evade them. His whereabouts remain unknown, last seen in Kabul."

There was muttering amongst the alphabet agencies, mostly directed at the FBI representative, who only nodded in agreement to what Tony had said and offered no updates on their investigation. General Clarke gave Tony a nod and stood.

"That concludes the informational part of this meeting, the new files provided by Dr. Stark have already been sent to the investigatory agencies, and thank you for coming."

Several of the suits gathered their file folders, and left with the room, stopping only to shake Tony’s hand. A pile of business cards was left beside his seat. Tony blinked; he wished he could get his board members to be as cooperative. The general gave the NSA and CIA people who remained seated a pointed stare for a moment, before giving Tony a nod to continue.

Tapping twice on the pad, Tony waited until the diagram of the Mark I appeared on the screen. "I promised you military types a debriefing on the manner of my escape as well."

The room went completely silent as they looked at the screen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Mark I, a suit of armor pieced together out of scraps of dismantled missiles and bombs in a cave over three months. In light of the large number of weapons which are missing from both the military stockpiles and SI inventories, I wanted to advise you that I will be refining and recreating this armor."

"For what exactly, Stark?" The male representing the NAS bit out sharply.

Turning his head toward the unveiled hostility, Tony straightened his shoulders. "Under the auspices of a military oversight committee, I would like to return and destroy the weapons. Think of it as a sort of repossession of my weapons, if you will."

The military representatives perked up while the agencies seemed to loudly object to his statement.

"And," Tony cut across the voices. "To that end, I will be creating a suit of armor for Lt. Colonel Rhodes, as well." He held out a hand as the room erupted, waiting for the noise to settle. "The suit will remain my personal property, I will do the maintenance and upkeep on it. No one else will be allowed to make modifications to it."

Another tap brought up the rendering of an unpainted Mark 2, which was much closer to the fourth or fifth revision of his original Iron Man armor. Rhodey was trying to keep his face schooled in a neutral mask, but Tony knew he was grinning like mad on the inside.

"As for why I won’t mass produce these," Tony told them, tapping again. "This is the cost breakdown for the creation of just one suit, which is custom-made for the recipient."

The nine-figure total was enough to dissuade even the military. The meeting wrapped up quickly after that, with Rhodey being granted his requests to stay with Tony as he built the armors. No one had given Barnes a second look and Tony felt smug as they walked out of the building to the waiting car. The helicopter ride back to the helipad next to the mansion was quiet, with Barnes sitting up next to the pilot. Cocking his head, Tony remembered the capture of the Winter Solider in the aftermath of the bombing of the UN in Genova and made a metal note to ask him about his skill set.

"Mr. Tony! Uncle Rhodey! Uncle Bucky!" Peter greeted all of them as they walked into the house, giving each of them a hug, before letting Tony pick him up.

"Did you have a good morning, Underoos?" Tony gave him a squeeze.

Peter spent all of lunch describing the things he had discovered that morning, from the pathway to the beach, the gym adjacent to the garage, and the waterfall in the entry he had missed the day before. Tony nodded at the appropriate times, his mind going over the meeting with Coulson as Peter rambled between bites. While he remembered May’s less than adequate cooking skills, she could put together passable sandwiches, and Tony made another mental note to order in more groceries.

"It’s time to go, Tony," Rhodey announced as they sat around the table, chatting amicably.

With a hair ruffle, Tony lifted Peter down. He took a minute to use the restroom and checked his appearance, making sure the arc reactor wasn’t visible. Waving to Peter, Tony followed Rhodey and Barnes to his favorite Audi sedan in the garage. Rhodey climbed behind the wheel as Barnes slipped into the passenger side, leaving Tony to grumble as he slid into the back seat.

"Don’t pout, Tones," Rhodey told him jauntily, "you’re the billionaire CEO, you’re supposed to be driven around."

"I like to drive, too," Tony retorted, petulantly.

"And have the speeding tickets to prove it," Rhodey quipped, as they came up to the street.

Grinning, Tony turned his head to look out as they drove, scenic views of the Pacific passing in a blur as his mind swirled. Sweeping everything to the side, Tony concentrated on the upcoming meeting. He had no doubt that Coulson would be wearing at least a recording device, if not a live microphone. If his memory served him, Coulson had come across as mild mannered, but there was hidden strength in the man. Pepper had like him, but he’d also been there for her when Stane had tried to kill her.

Tony sighed and ignored the inquiring look he knew Rhodey was throwing him. Before, he’d blown Coulson off, allowing the more eccentric side of his personality to come out when he'd initially dealt with him. Perhaps if he presented a different persona, Coulson would be more inclined to take him seriously. There were definitely concessions Tony wanted out of SHIELD this time around, as well as a desire to carefully lay several land mines for Coulson to stumble on, including the information concerning the vile organization enbeded within the super spy agency. Mostly, Tony wanted his father’s research and anything he could find on Howard’s work with the Super Soldier Serum, especially if he’d been doused with it as a child. How did the serum affect him? At what age had he been given it, as Tony knew he could get drunk, even if he could still give complex technical lectures despite his intoxication.

"Tony?"

Rhodey’s voice cut through his thoughts, and Tony refocused his attention.

"Yes, Sour Patch?"

Barnes gave him a side-eye look.

"You want to go in the front or the back?"

Tony debated for a moment but decided not to repeat the mistakes of the past when he’d hidden himself away. "Let’s go in the front, get people used to seeing Robocop with us."

Barnes groaned softly and Tony smirked as Rhodey shook his head.

"Don’t react, Bucky, he’ll just get worse."

"I seem to remember being called Elsa before," Barnes admitted and Rhodey sputtered.

Parking the car in Tony’s designated spot, Tony hissed as he extended his right arm getting out of the car, forgetting the injury to that shoulder. Rhodey plucked his sunglasses out of his inner pocket for him, and Tony slid them on. Barnes stood like an unmovable statue in front of them, until Tony stepped up to the walkway, falling in behind the pair as they headed into the glass atrium.

Tony was surprised as the receptionists all smiled and waved at him, many calling out greetings. With a crooked smile, Tony gave them a wave of his left hand, keeping his right arm across his body. By the time they had reached the top of the escalator, several of his managers had come out of their offices to welcome him. Tony was surprised; he wondered if this would have happened before, if he’d come into SI instead of following Stane direction to lay low. Granted, other Tony had been a traumatized mess who was just grateful to be able to hide away and lick his wounds.

"You’re early!" There was surprise in Happy’s voice as the three of them made it to Tony’s office, smiling at Myrna as they walked in.

Stepping into the room, Tony immediately beelined towards his desk, not really caring who might see them, and wrapped Pepper in his arms. Taking a deep breath, Tony inhaled the light perfume she wore and the scent that was uniquely hers. Her hand stroked up and down his back, slowly, reassuringly.

"Long meeting?"

Tony didn’t lift his head from her shoulder. "Tedious more than anything."

"Anything out of the ordinary?" Pepper asked, taking a half step back, her hands coming up to frame his face.

"No," Tony answered, turning his head to press a kiss into her palm. "How are things here?"

Pepper gave him a peck on the lips, reaching up to take his left hand and tug him over to the couch. "We’ve found evidence against three of the board who have profited from Stane’s illegal arms deals, along with several employees in finance as well as shipping who are complacent. Happy has turned their information over to the FBI – they’ve set up an office in the first-floor main conference room, by the way."

"Good, gives us what we need to arrest anyone implicated in the sales. Next step is to call another board meeting for next week – call it an update, and we’ll announce your promotion to Chief Operations Officer," Tony told her, reaching for the coffee cup that had materialized on the table. "Thanks, Hap."

Pepper looked relieved and nodded. "That should go smoother than the abrupt change last time, when half of the board figured I’d slept with you to get the CEO position."

"I wish," Tony muttered before picking up his cup. "Figures they were too stupid to realize you were qualified."

"Got the Expo model you wanted, Boss, and it's been taken down to Section 16," Happy added, stepping back to stand by the door.

"Great! Thanks, Happy."

Tony took a long sip of the coffee, before settling back on the couch. Rhodey dropped down next to them and swiped Tony’s coffee. Arching an eyebrow, Tony couldn’t quite maintain an affronted expression before smiling. He was thankful his best friend was back with him, instead of being the furious man he’d been originally.

"I still don’t understand why SHIELD didn’t just send someone to the debrief this morning," Barnes sat down in the armchair.

Tony shrugged, or tried to as a jolt of pain told him it wasn’t a great idea. "I really don’t think they care too much about how I escaped or the iron suit, but more the miniaturized arc reactor."

"They want to weaponize it." Rhodey sat up straight.

Tony stole his cup back. "They knew about the palladium poisoning from the beginning, so yeah, I think you’re right."

There was a tap on the door and Myrna peered inside, eyes quickly finding him. "Agent Coulson is on his way up, Mr. Stark."

"Thank you, Myrna," Tony pushed up from the couch as everyone stood. "Happy, will you bring him in when he gets here."

"Sure, Boss," Happy slipped out the door.

Tony moved to sit behind his desk. Pepper rolling over the chair she normally used when she worked out of Tony’s office; she sat beside him and began working on her laptop. Rhodey sat in one of the two chairs normally in front of the desk, leaving only the chair closest to where Barnes positioned himself, slightly to the side and behind Coulson. Feeling a little nervous, Tony smoothed his hand down his tie, before folding his hands on the desk in front of him.

A tap on the door alerted them.

"Show time," Tony muttered, his face settling into his public smile.

Happy pushed the door open, allowing Phil Coulson, dressed in a dark gray suit, to precede him. "Agent Coulson, Mr. Stark," he announced, shutting the door behind him, and standing in front of it.

"Mr. Stark," Coulson said, his face bland as his eyes flicked around the office. "Thank you for seeing me."

Tony stood and leaned across the desk; hand extended. "Agent Coulson, please sit down."

Coulson didn’t bother to try and take Tony’s hand, which didn’t surprise him, really – Tony couldn’t remember any of the SHIELD personnel he’d met ever shaking his hand. Sitting back in his own chair as he watched Coulson get settled, Tony saw the man’s eyes sweeping the room again, as he took in everyone there.

"How can Stark Industries assist your super-secret government agency, Agent?"

Coulson’s lips pressed together in a thin line. "I would prefer to speak to you alone, Mr—"

"Actually, it’s Doctor," Tony interrupted, smile still in place. "And they are staying."

Coulson’s eyes flicked around again, lingering on Barnes a second longer than the others. "My agency was hoping to debrief you on the manner of your escape from the Ten Rings, Dr. Stark."

Tony crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "That is strange, Agent, as I just got back from debriefing the military and various federal agencies on the same topic this morning." He tilted his head. "Did they not invite you?"

Coulson’s hands tightened on the arms of the chair. "We had a more specific interest."

"And that is?"

"We understand you constructed an iron suit to escape the cave network you were kept in."

"That’s correct." Tony did his best not to smirk, although Barnes didn’t have the same restrictions and Tony almost laughed at his sneer. "The leader, Raza, demanded I construct the Jericho missile system I had demonstrated, and gave me everything I would need for that." He shrugged his left shoulder. "After some— persuasion, I agreed to build it, however, I repurposed the materials they provided to make an armored suit."

The agent nodded his head, the very picture of captivated attention, as if encouraging Tony to continue speaking. He couldn’t stop the smirk.

"I was able to blast my way out of the network of caves and destroy as many of my weapons they had illegally acquired as I could."

"And how did you power this suit of armor, Dr. Stark?" Coulson asked blandly.

"The usual way," Tony answered, his tone sharper than he’d meant it to be. "I didn’t know SHIELD was interested in missile propulsion."

Coulson gave him a disappointed look. "Dr. Stark, SHIELD—"

Tony gave one right back at him. "Agent Coulson, you are aware that my father and my godmother, Peggy Carter, were two of the founding members of SHIELD? And I do believe Director Fury is still in possession of some of my father’s belongings, which should have been returned to me after his death."

Pepper leaned forward, her hands stilling on her laptop she’d been. "Also, Agent Coulson, any power system which Dr. Stark may have invented, has already been patented as proprietary Stark technology, which we will not be sharing."

"SHIELD would be able to assist you with any secondary issues a miniaturized power source might pose, Dr. Stark. Our scientists are some of the best in the world."

The disbelief Tony felt was apparent on his face, and he knew it, not even trying to hide it. "Apparently, Agent, you either think I’m an idiot, or that my father never told me about the agency he was part of. And for me, it’s a trust issue, especially an agency that replaced Howard Stark as chief scientist with a man who was clearly proud of his Nazi and HYDRA roots."

Coulson’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "What?" He sputtered.

"Does the name Zola mean anything to you, Agent?" Tony asked in a low voice. "If Operation Paperclip brought HYDRA scientists into SHIELD in the aftermath of World War II, I’d be willing to bet the organization has grown into a larger infestation." He shook his head. "What in the world would Captain America think, Agent Coulson?"

Tony winced a bit at the look that passed over Coulson’s face, knowing he’d used Coulson’s personal hero to bring the point home. He stood, tired of dancing around with Agent.

"Look, Agent, tell Fury I want Howard’s stuff. If he’s willing to give me that, then maybe we can have another meeting and I’d be more likely to answer your questions."

Coulson stood from the chair smoothly, his face again neutral. "I’ll pass your message on, Dr. Stark."

Happy followed him out the door, closing it behind him.

Barnes did an exaggerated shudder. "Fucking HYDRA! I still can’t believe that the same people who tortured me for years worked for the agency that Howard and Peggy founded."

"They brought over a lot of scientists from the Axis countries after the war, SHIELD isn’t unique it that, but considering nuclear development and the space missions were both put into the hands of former Nazi personnel—" Rhodey cut himself off as the door opened again.

It was only Happy. "He didn’t say a word on the way out."

"Not surprising," Tony admitted, "we did kind of broadside him." He clapped his hands together. "All right, we’ll let you get back to work, Pep, and see you at dinner. Hap, I’ll have JARVIS scan the hallway and atrium for any bugs Agent may have left on the way out."

Leaning over, Tony gave Pepper a kiss, before leading Rhodey and Barnes out of the office. He had tech to upgrade and a Spiderling to spend time with.

Chapter Text

It took another day for all the equipment to be delivered to Section 16, next to the original arc reactor. Sunday morning early, Tony, Peter, Rhodey, and Bucky were in the large workshop which had been used by Stane to build the Iron Monger in the original timeline. Happy had stayed at the mansion with Pepper and the Parkers, working with Ben on screening additions to their security force. With the announcement of preliminary findings in the weapons investigation set for next week, Happy wanted to augment their guards.

There was also the word from the military that Stane had been sighted in the mountains outside of Kabul in the area where Tony had been held captive. They didn’t know whether Stane knew what was going on at SI, but Tony was pretty sure he had managed to acquire the designs he’d drawn up for the Mark I. It was unknown where Stane was now, but Tony knew with the funds Stane still had at his disposal, the man would probably charter a private plane to return to the states. They would need to remain vigilant.

Setting up the particle accelerator turned out to be much easier with help, Tony discovered. Both Peter and Bucky could lift heavy pieces of equipment and Rhodey, a literal rocket scientist, provided a great deal of help with the calibrations needed. To Tony’s surprise, Bucky turned out to be an intuitive mechanic, much in the way Harley was, and had quietly admitted he had enjoyed working on cars when he was young. The shared work went quickly and by mid-afternoon, they were ready to begin. At the insistence of the others, Tony had two new arc reactors waiting for cores, and they were going to see if they could synthesis additional metal to experiment on.

A cheer went up as the first triangle was completed and Tony transferred it to the waiting arc reactor. JARVIS scanned it for purity and functionality, Tony beamed when the tests were finished and, ignoring JARVIS’ warnings, exchanged the arc reactors. The burst of coconut and metal in his mouth was expected, but Tony had forgotten how much additional power the new element gave him. He was laughing when the initial surge went through him, and Tony would have sworn he heard the Space stone cheer.

"Jeez, Dad, and you call me reckless," Peter glared at him, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, Dad," Rhodey chided, looking unimpressed by Tony’s actions. "You’re the role model now, buddy."

Tony looked at them, flabbergasted. "But—I knew it would work! It worked perfectly last time!"

Bucky muttered something about idiot punks as he worked with Rhodey to reset the equipment for the second triangle. Peter grinned at him and walked over to wrap his arms around Tony’s waist.

"You were alone and, in a time crunch, taking chances you shouldn't," Peter told him as Tony ran his hand through the tousled curls. "Aunt May would have kicked your butt for doing that."

Tony threw up his hands in surrender, lifting Peter up to give him a proper hug, before setting on his feet. "All right, Roo, I’ll be more careful, I promise."

"Get out of the damn mindset that you are expendable, Tony. You were manipulated into believing it by everyone from Howard to Fury to Rogers to fu—reaking Strange." Rhodey walked over to poke him in the arc reactor. "You are NOT!"

Tony leaned forward and kissed Rhodey on the nose, only to find himself in a headlock with Peter laughing at him. "Platypus!"

"Hey, kid," Bucky yelled over the two of them. "You know how to turn this thing on?"

"No!"

Tony and Rhodey sprang apart and rushed over to the controls. Bucky and Peter grinned. They were able to finish the second core and an ingot of metal about eight inches long to experiment on. Tony was careful to erase all the data concerning the new element off the computer they used to synthesis it. While he wanted to be able to create more of the metal, he didn’t want anyone else to recognize what they’d done until it was tested, and the results presented to the scientific community. He wasn’t about to try and keep it hidden, but he did want Howard and him to get credit for its creation.

They were home in time for dinner, much to Pepper’s delight.

That evening, the group went over the timeline the four of them had started the night Tony had gotten home from Afghanistan. They picked up from the Battle of New York, with the three Infinity stones in the city during that battle and went through each year carefully. Everyone contributed with significant events in their lives, even Bucky, who could tell them when he was activated and if the missions he was sent on could be relevant to the stones. JARVIS was keeping a sub-timeline of the stones themselves, going back to when Howard had retrieved the Space stone from the ice after Roger’s crashed the Valkyrie.

As Tony and Pepper were relating the incident with the AIM and Killian, Peter raised his hand.

Tony bit his tongue to keep from laughing. "Underoos, you’re not in school, go ahead," he invited.

Peter’s cheeks turned pink. "If this was just months after the invasion in New York, where are the other Avengers? Why didn’t any of them come to help when you were attacked, Happy in a coma, and Ms. Pepper kidnapped?"

"What?" Bucky straightened in his chair. "Are you sh—kidding me?"

Tony and Rhodey shared a look, but it was actually Pepper who answered. "We don’t know, sweetie. The Tower was being repaired and remodeled for everyone, so they were all scattered. I assumed they were busy with SHIELD assignments, although later we found out that Rogers was touring the states on his motorcycle to get acclimated to the new century. We know Bruce was finishing one of his doctorates at Columbia and Thor was on Asgard. I’m sure Fury knew about the Mandarin bombings, but—"

"He should have had agents working the bombings," Happy interjected, his anger apparent.

"That’s not how you treat members of a team," Ben stated, his brow furrowed. "The more I hear of these Avengers, the more I don’t like them."

"Oh, it gets better," May interject with a sarcastic tone. "Initially, I blamed a lot of the discord I saw within the group to Tony’s overinflated ego, but as I got to know him better, I admitted I was wrong. Just the way he took care of you, Peter, and made sure you ate, did your homework, and had the best equipment told me he was used to taking care of others."

"So," Tony piped up quickly, his cheeks heating up. "The mansion was attacked and—"

"Tony," Pepper said quietly. "We need to tell them everything, so they understand where your head was at the time." She took his hand and Tony squeezed it as Pepper took over the narrative.

She told them about his isolating himself at the mansion and her burying herself in SI. Tony’s compulsive suit making, and poor coping skills as he struggled to hide his emotional and mental injuries from what he’d seen through the portal in New York. His face flushed further when she admitted she knew he was making them but had no idea how many he’d made. Bucky, Rhodey, and even Peter nodded at the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder she listed off. Ben’s eyes became a bit haunted, and it was obvious he was lost in memories of his own. Relating the anxiety she went through before discovering the message from Tony, and what she had learned from Maya Hanssen, before being kidnapped by Killian.

Tony took up the story again, telling them about Harley, and how he’d figured out that people were exploding, not bombs. Explaining Extremis in generalities and how it was another attempt at recreating the Super Soldier Serum. Rhodey jumped in to describe his part in the situation, the threat to the president, Air Force One, and the battle that followed.

Smoothing over how he stabilized the virus to keep Pepper from being orangey and glowy, to utilizing it to help rebuild his sternum. Tony’s quietly explained about Helen Cho and her cradle technology, but despite her efforts, his chest would always be a weak point. Rhodey cleared his throat, giving him a pointed look and Tony admitted he’d not heard from any of the other Avengers during the incident or after his surgery.

Once Tony had recovered, they had moved to Stark tower, notified SHIELD that the rooms were ready and available for the Avengers. Everyone but Thor took Tony up on the offer, moving in and utilizing their floors as their New York base when needed. They would occasionally email him for equipment upgrades or see each other during meetings at SHIELD, but otherwise they didn’t socialize as a group. Bruce would pop in from time to time and work on things with Tony or collaborate on a project for SHIELD.

Bucky told them about several missions he had done between the invasion and the kill order on Nick Fury. There were politicians in South America and one in Sokovia he’d been sent to eliminate, probably to destabilize the countries. HYDRA loved conflict. Tony had gone still at the mention of Sokovia but was unable to connect the Maximoff twins to the politicians.

"Do you know where the Mind stone was then?" Rhodey asked. "It is the right time frame for HYDRA to have had it."

"Possibly," Tony frowned. "J, please make a note."

"Of course, Sir."

Barnes ran his flesh hand through his hair. "When I was pulled out of cryofreeze for the Fury mission, something was different." He shook his head, eyes taking on a haunted look. "I'm not even sure I can tell you what, other than they didn't wipe my memory prior to sending me out."

"Why would they do that?" May asked softly.

He looked at her. "Sometimes I would dream about the past while I was under, so they started putting me in the chair before I left, just to make sure I didn't have any breakthrough memories."

"And did you?" Peter wanted to know. "Have memories break through?"

Bucky gave him a crooked smile. "Yeah, I did. Used to really make the handlers mad, because I wouldn't tell them voluntarily."

Wincing in sympathy, Tony could see the conversation was wearing on Bucky, on all of them really, and redirected it back on track.

"So, Project Insight or HYDRA's big reemergence plan." Tony pointed at Bucky. "You were brought in to take out Fury, Cap and Natasha were sent with Pierce's STRIKE team to rescue a secret SHIELD ship from pirates, and that was just the lead up to the main event."

"The helicarriers over Washington D.C.!" Peter exclaimed.

Rhodey and Tony both nodded.

'Which no one else knew about until they were falling out of the sky." Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Steve and Nat were doing missions for SHIELD, separately, and got pulled in together for this pirate thing. I know Clint wasn't with them; so when things were falling apart, they brought in Sam Wilson."

"We could have done without Natasha dumping all of SHIELD's and HYDRA's files onto the internet," Pepper added with a sigh of her own. "Tony worked for days to try and pull out the information on undercover and active agents."

"And their families!" Rhodey interjected. "I was on deployment in Afghanistan, working with special forces to take care of any other weapons stashes that remained after Tony got done razing Raza's stockpile. SHIELD could have requested my assistance or Tony's to keep those people from becoming casualties."

"That's when Rogers found out about HYDRA putting out the hit on Tony's parents." Pepper grimaced.

"But," Peter began, "that was like two years before you went to Siberia."

Tony exchanged a glance with Bucky, who groaned and dropped his face in his hands.

"That's why you reacted the way you did," Bucky moaned.

Tony examined his hands. "I was blindsided, but I'm not proud of the way I reacted—"

"All right, both of you," Pepper announced briskly. "We are getting ahead of ourselves. Besides Steve Rogers was the asshole in all that."

Tony leaned over and gave Pepper a kiss on the cheek. "You're still salty about that, aren't you, honey."

The heat in Pepper's eyes would have incinerated the good Captain America if he'd been in the room. "You've no idea. Anyway, no data dump, this time."

"Yes, dear!"

Everyone took a deep breath, with an unspoken agreement to get through the rest of that portion of their history. All contributed what information they had, starting with Steve Rogers secret search for Bucky, unknowingly paid for by Tony, during these two years. Retrieving the scepter containing the Mind stone from HYDRA and Wanda Maximoff's mind rape of each of the Avengers. Tony explained in a quiet voice what he and Bruce had been working on to defend the planet and how it was bastardized by the Mind stone into Ultron. His voice broke when he spoke about the loss of JARVIS and Thor's reaction. Peter had crawled up into his lap as Tony began and curled against his chest, his head next to the arc reactor.

Pepper explained the damage to the Tower and the flight of the Avengers to Clint's farm. Taking a deep breath, Tony described chasing Ultron across the globe and finding the cyborg in Sokovia, the Maximoff twins working for him, before they switched sides. He told them about Pietro and Rogers attacking him in his lab as he and Bruce Banner were working on completing the android, Vision. Thor's timely return to finish the job and everyone learning about the Infinity Stones. Rhodey spoke up to tell them about the battle, and SHIELD's unexpected appearance. His voice broke when he described Tony's actions and how many people he had saved almost at the cost of his own life, again.

It was Bucky's turn to relay his struggle to stay ahead of the remains of HYDRA, various governments, and Steve Rogers. Finding his mind clear after falling to the Potomac, he found work as a mechanic in Bucharest, and rented an apartment. He struggled to understand many of the conflicting memories which started to resurface, both good and bad. For almost two years, Bucky had been able to keep his head down and survive.

Peter's story was next, with him skimming over the spider bite to describe his abilities in detail, but he let May take over to speak about Ben's death. Burying himself in Tony's chest, Peter wrapped his arms around his waist and Tony ran his free hand through Peter's soft hair. He suspected his kid was crying and Tony's heart went out to him as none of these memories were easy to talk about, but they needed to know what they'd already changed within their timeline.

When May had finished, Pepper must have been on the same wavelength as Tony as she called a halt to the review. Peter took the opportunity to move over to where May and Ben were sitting, lying across their laps.

"What do you think has been changed so far, Boss?" Happy asked, pushing his empty beer bottle to one side.

Rhodey grabbed it, with his own empty bottle and moved toward the kitchen. "Ben? Bucky? Want another one?"

Ben shook his head as Bucky nodded.

"Well, that first press conference had some profound consequences, especially on SI stock, and the company's stability."

"It also put your mental health in question, especially when Stane played it up," Pepper added. "Stane wasn't able to collect your first suit, but he may have your blueprints. So, we still need to be very careful as he'll want the arc reactor. "

"We have the cooperation of the military, instead of them being pissed at being blind-sighted," Rhodey provided. "You aren't actively dying—"

The rest cheered.

"—and have already created the new element. SHIELD wasn't able to hack into JARVIS, Coulson got his meeting, got the hint about HYDRA, but we haven't seen Fury yet."

"While I remember every mission I undertook, I'm not really sure about specific dates, but I can tell you that there are at least three people alive now who weren't at this time in the past." Bucky voice was soft and regretful. "And I've already escaped from HYDRA, so there will be no reason for Steve to try and find me."

"Tony has done considerably less damage to the mansion and his own body in the last ten days." Pepper was smug.

Rolling his eyes, Tony sighed. "I think the telling of the next part of the timeline is going to be especially hard on all of us, so let's regroup and plan on doing it this week. In the meantime, I'm going to jump into recreating my suit, a bit more advanced than the original Mark 2 was."

"All right, I'll need you in the office Monday and Tuesday mornings to finish up the paperwork for me to take over as COO and the Board meeting to get Stane throw off. You can drag these guys," she indicated Rhodey, Peter, and Bucky, "into the workshop, but I'm taking May and Happy to the office with me this week."

"I'll touch bases with General Clarke on both the investigation and the oversight committee," Rhodey offered. "I think there is a meeting Friday afternoon, otherwise, I'll be here."

"And I'll supervise!" Ben laughed, especially as Peter and Tony made the exact same face.

"Excellent idea, sweetheart," May agreed. "You can also make sure Peter takes the placement test JARVIS printed up to see where he is academically. He may be able to test out of elementary school, instead of being board stiff."

Groaning, Peter buried his face in May's lap, much to Tony's amusement.

"I'll spend some time with R&D this week as well and give them what they need to upgrade the batteries we are currently using for phones and tablets. I will write up the specs for the woven protective cloth for the nerds to craft." Tony pointed at Bucky. "You, Frosty, are going to be my runway model, which also means if anything happens, you will have a little protection."

Bucky nodded, a small smile on his face. "I can even strut, if you need me to."

"You can help me determine the strength of the webbing solution," Peter said hopefully, lifting his head.

Bucky gave him a wide-eyed look. "Kid, if it’s the same stuff you used in Germany, I had to cut my way out!"

"Actually, it’s stronger!" Peter piped up, grinning. "Designed for Super Soldiers!"

Rolling his eyes, Bucky just shook his head. "Ugh, okay – I'll still help test it."

Everyone else laughed as Bucky continued to grumble under his breath.

"If I may?" Ben spoke up for the first time, looking over the group. "As someone who is removed from everything that happened regarding the Avengers, it seems to me that the divide in the group was one of the reasons Thanos won the first time around. It wasn't until after the Snap everyone pulled together as a team once more, that he was defeated."

Tony cocked his head, processing the words, before his spoke. "If we'd had a complete team on Titan, we might have been able to win."

"What would happen if you used your resources to retrieve Captain Rogers before SHIELD can and do you think he might have a different mindset if you did?" Ben asked.

Straightening, Tony felt his eyes widen. Would Steve have been different if he'd not been indoctrinated by SHIELD when he was recovered? Could they really impact his attitude if they were able to introduce him to the present day in a gentler way?

"Tony?" Bucky leaned forward, fingers working nervously to peel the label off the beer bottle. "If we could find him, then I could be there for him. The whole reason he divided the Avengers was because of me – if I'm the one who helps in his recovery, he has no reason for dividing the team."

Tony exchanged a look with Rhodey and then Pepper, both of whom gave him a nod. "It just might, Buck. One of the things he said to me when we met on the hellicarrier in 2012, was that he'd seen the "videos" SHIELD and had formed his opinion based on those."

"Probably those videos," Happy whispered to Rhodey, who just gave Tony a knowing smirk as Tony groaned and Peter looked up with wide eyes.

"JARVIS erase all, uh, unflattering videos of me off the internet immediately!"

"I can try, Sir." Even JARVIS sounded unimpressed.

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye for Tony. His suit, the Mark 2.0, as he'd decided to call it, was completed and the War Machine suit was being fabricated by JARVIS. Tony had acquiesced to Rhodey's demand that he not begin his missions, Gulmira to be the first, without back-up. With Peter's help, Tony had recreated the bullet resistant woven fabric he'd used to make uniforms for the Avengers in the other future. He'd spent time in R&D with the instructions on how to fabricate the material and turn it into fatigues for the military. Bucky and Peter had helped test the basic design for durability and range of motion, making suggestions on how to improve the design.

While Tony would love to have immediately reinvent the nanotechnology he needed to rebuild his nanotech suit, but he knew technology wasn't there yet. He was able to weave strands of Starkanium through the new fabric to create suits for Bucky and Peter, who he knew would attempt to do something with his powers. May, Ben, and Tony had all spoken to Peter about what he could do and what they wanted him to wait on until he was older. No one wanted to see an eight-year-old putting himself in danger's path, but Tony was realistic enough to realize there were time Peter would not be able to help himself. He used that argument to gain permission to create a protective suit for their Spiderling, otherwise, Peter would fashion one on his own.

His kid was even more stubborn than he was!

Peter had breezed through all the exit examines for grade school and May had applied to have his records reflect that fact. They would all pitch in and homeschool Peter until he was ready to enroll in Midtown High School, where he would join his friends. Tony was proud of Peter, who had refused his offer of fast tracking him into MIT, like Tony had done. May and Pepper were against it, but Tony had wanted to make sure Peter had a choice in his schooling, as he had already been bored in the past timeline. They had compromised, suggesting Peter take a few online college courses over the next few years.

The debate over what to do with Steve Rogers had been lively among the Time Team when they got around to it. Tony had waited until they had all heard the rest of the timeline before the discussion was held. It took them one whole weekend to work through the so-called "Civil War" and recruiting Peter. Tony had stoically suffered through the narrowed-eyed disapproval Pepper, May, Ben, and, surprisingly, Bucky had expressed. Struggling a bit, as Tony knew it wouldn't happen this time, he went on to explain everything that happened up to joining Rogers and Bucky in the bunker in Siberia.

As Tony felt himself start to tremble, Bucky took up the narrative in a quiet voice. He described the fight that happened after Zemo's manipulation in general terms, but spoke about Tony holding back, not utilizing any of the weapons he had built into his suit. And in the same nonemotionally voice, he described Steve Rogers, who wasn't pulling his punches, including slamming his shield into Tony's chest, damaging its power source. Tony could hear regret come into his voice as he spoke of T'Challa waiting outside and sweeping them off in his plane to Wakanda, leaving Tony stranded in the bunker.

Moving to stand behind Tony's chair, Pepper sat on the arm, telling them how FRIDAY and Vision had worked together to locate Tony and rescue him. Rhodey was next, describing his injuries and the braces Tony had built for him. May gave him a gentle smack on the back of his head and a stern look as Peter rambled about the fight at the airport in Germany,

"All right," Tony clapped his hands together. "First, how many are in favor of pulling the Capsicle from the ice as soon as we can?"

Everyone nodded, signally their agreement to the plan.

"All right, JARVIS, start a satellite search along the shelf of land in the area Howard previously searched. It was Russian oil prospectors who found the good Captain in early 2012."

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face. "So, what do we do with the current Steve Rogers?"

Everyone looked at Bucky, being the expert in the room, and he sighed. "Part of me wants to stay as far way from him as I can, but we do need to know what he might’ve changed."

"How do you go back in time, marry your girl, and then let her work in an organization that’s infiltrated by the enemy?" Ben wanted to know.

Tony shrugged. "I have no idea, but when I called to speak to Peggy, I was told she had already retired and was in a care home." He shook his head. "That’s two years earlier than she did in the past."

"I think we need to go see him, just in case he sees a picture of Mr. Bucky, because he’ll might think he’s still the Winter Solider."

"Or he’ll want to know why he’s here with us," Rhodey added. "Steve would come out of hiding if he thought Tony was using Bucky for something nefarious."

"Would he be in contact with SHIELD?" Pepper wanted to know.

"There’s no way," Tony answered, leaning back, a speculative look on his face. "I think he’s hidden from anyone who might have known him, especially Howard and Fury."

Bucky straightened and looked at Tony. "I think Tony, Peter, and I should go."

"Why?"

Bucky met his eyes. "You because he'll remember the last battlefield and the sacrifice you made. Me because it will reinforce that we are from our future, and he might listen to reason better. And Peter because he calms both of us and yet is good at handling himself."

Tony looked around the room at everyone and saw their agreement. "All right, then it’s decided. JARVIS, I know you’ve found the house in DC. See if there is a CCTV camera in the neighborhood that can keep an eye on him and get an idea of his habits."

Pepper tapped on her StarkPad. "Timeline for the rest of the summer: finish War Machine armor, go after the missiles, pay a visit to Rogers, find the Valkyrie before August, get Howard’s trunk, and find Stane."

"Ambitious!" Rhodey muttered. "How is JARVIS coming with the information from SHIELD?"

The look on Pepper’s face was feral. "Well, our suspicions were correct, not only was SI providing financial support, but one of the large Stark family accounts as well. Between them, SHIELD was receiving almost a billion dollars a year."

Everyone gaped at the news and Rhodey gently smacked Tony’s shoulder. "Damn, Tones, I know you have a lot, but that’s insane."

Anger welled up in Tony – he’d never suspected this! He knew he’d spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the Avengers, housing, feeding, and equipping them, but he’d had no idea—

"Cut off any funding from SI immediately, Pep, and start a complete audit of all our outgoing funds." Tony directed between clenched teeth. "I don’t know what other surprise we might find, but I’m pretty sure there will be other things we won’t like. Also, see if we can find a copy of Howard's will – if those payments aren't addressed in there, we'll pull those, too!""

"I have no doubt about the audits," Pepper said dryly. "And what concerns me is some of these payouts were put in place by both Howard and Stane years ago – and adjusted for cost of living."

Tony rubbed his hands over his face. "How could I have been so stupid not to have thought of this last time, especially when Stane had billions stashed away in offshore accounts?"

Peter leaned against his side and Tony looped an arm around his shoulders. Rhodey squeezed his shoulder in comfort, as Pepper sighed, but May was the first who spoke up.

"Because you are stupidly generous with the people you care for, Tony." She gave him a glare. "How many times did I say no to you helping Peter and I? And then later I would find that you had just found an indirect way of providing for us."

"That was JARVIS!" Tony exclaimed, his cheeks heating.

"Right, JARVIS bought our apartment building just so you could fix the elevators and lower the rent for the whole complex."

"Uhhh—"

"Well," Pepper cut across his excuse. "You should know that Tony has set up bank accounts for you, Peter, and Bucky, similar to the one he’s always had for James." She nodded toward Rhodey.

"What?" Ben and May exclaimed together, both frowning at Tony.

"Consulting fee, remember? For when you assist him on projects and your part of the profit for anything you create or any idea that is developed and manufactured by Stark Industries." She ignored Tony’s sputter and smiled at Peter. "He’s already patented Peter’s webbing for him."

"You did?" Peter leaned his head back, looking up at him.

"Of course, Underoos! You invented it!" Tony gave him a crooked smile.

"Thanks, Dad!" Peter burrowed back under his arm.

"Sir?" JARVIS inquired.

"Yeah, J?"

"Agent Coulson is at the gate, requesting entry."

Chapter Text

Agent had brought Howard’s trunk which Rhodey and Bucky unloaded and carried into the house. Meanwhile, Tony stood outside of the front door and cheerfully confirmed an appointment for SHIELD the following week. There was no way Tony was letting Agent into the house, especially as Peter was still in the living room. JARVIS had acknowledged the time and date as Tony managed to even thank Coulson, before watching him drive back out to the road with a thoughtful look.

Peter and Bucky were going to start going through the contents of the trunk in the lab while Tony and Rhodey were flying to Afghanistan. Tony hadn't bothered looking for evidence of Anton Vanko's contributions to the creation of the arc reactor technology, but if it could be proved Howard hadn't compensated Vanko for his work, Tony might be able to rectify it. Hopefully it would appease Ivan Vanko, if he received it before his father died. He hadn't found out this information until after the Stark Expo attack before. Howard may have found Vanko was selling secrets, but it was a separate issue from the reactor.

A meeting with the oversight commission to confirm both suits were completed along with filing a mission brief for Gulmira. There was ample photographic evidence of the Ten Rings activity in the city and surrounding mountains. The military brass would send out an announcement of practice drones in the area, so there wouldn’t be any arial dogfights this time. The committee gave their approval immediately, also authorizing an excursion into the mountains for any remnants of the cave system Tony had been held in.

The flight to Afghanistan had been quiet, he and Rhodey had gone over Tony's memories from the original mission, when Tony was green and just learning the capabilities of the suit. Emphasizing where the tank was which had shot him out of the sky, so neither of them would fall victim to it this time. Gulmira had been accomplished even smoother than this time, with Tony taking care of freeing the victims and dispatching terrorist who were using his weapons. Rhodey took out the tank first and then the Jericho missile, before joining Tony to take out the huge stash of other weapons. They followed several fleeing terrorists at high altitude, swooping down to destroy another cache of weapons in a compound in the foothills of a mountain range.

"Hey, Tony?"

Rhodey's voice came over the comms as they lifted away from the explosions. Tony pivoted, turning back to watch the final fireball erupt from the compound.

"Yeah, Platypus?" Tony watched as War Machine circled him.

"We're only about ten klicks from where you were held," Rhodey pointed to the west. "Just follow along the foothills to the west."

Tony smiled grimly. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go tie up any loose ends!"

"Sir, you are now forty-five minutes in country." JARVIS advised him.

Tony rolled his eyes, he had the timer on his HUD. "Thanks, J, this side trip shouldn't last too long. Any chatter from the locals?"

"Nothing so far, Sir."

It took them less than five minutes flight to find the entrance to the cave network he was held in. Had there not been fourteen years between his actual time in them and now, Tony was pretty sure he'd be having a panic attack right about now. Landing in the crater of the weapons explosion he'd made when he escaped, Tony made his way over to the cave. Looking in, he took in the incinerated passageway and the pile of rubble which blocked the way main tunnel.

The area where Yinsen had taken his last breath was blackened, melted metal, and buried under tons of rock. Tony closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He'd never forgotten what Yinsen had told him with his dying breath:

"--don't waste your life, Stark."

It had been something he tried to live by; a creed to make him a better person. Tony hoped wherever Yinsen was now, he was with his family and at peace. He drew in as deep a breath as he could and back tracked to the entrance.

"Looks like we have company," Rhodey's voice was tight.

Stepping out of the cave, Tony could see a convoy of several military style vehicles approaching from the east. As soon as the occupants spotted them, they opened fire on he and Rhodey. Tony zoomed in on the lead vehicle and recognized the passenger yelling orders.

"That's Raza, the leader of the Ten Rings," Tony announced, activating his thrusters, Rhodey following him.

Turning, Tony brought up his mini-missiles and fired, a second after Rhodey had sent a repulsor blast. The lead vehicle exploded and the one behind it was also caught in the blast. The two of them made quick work of the rest of the convoy and took to the sky.

"JARVIS, at the hour mark, take us subsonic!"

The sound of the thrusters kicking in at full power was jolting and a quick look at his HUD showed they were traveling at just below Mach one, which meant about a nine-hour flight back to Malibu.

"Sir, you've cleared Afghani airspace now and on route to arrive in Malibu at approximately 5am."

"Thanks, J." Tony relaxed a bit. "You still with me, Honey Bear?"

"On your left!" Rhodey's voice held a teasing tone.

Tony snorted, Rhodey having told him the story. "JARVIS can take over as soon as we're out over the Pacific if you want to rest a bit then."

"As long as we're skirting around the border of China and North Korea – certainly don't want any problems there."

"I agree –"

"Sir, I have Ms. Potts calling."

Tony frowned, wondering what was wrong. "Put her through, J."

"Tony? How'd it go?" Pepper's voice was moderated, almost as if she expected bad news.

"Better than last time, babe," Tony answered, not trying to hide how tired he felt. "It was a lot easier and less bullet holes with Rhodey's help and we were out in just under the hour we had estimated."

"Are you okay?" her voice softened.

Sighing, Tony nodded despite Pepper not being able to see. "I'm fine, Pep, just glad to get it done. Not feeling euphoric like the first time, but I do feel accomplished."

A small laugh sounded. "Is it possible? Tony Stark has actually matured?"

Tony grinned. "I guess. Can you live with a responsible and mature me?"

"Not sure that's ever going to quite happen," Pepper answered. "Look at the mischief you and Peter always get into, and now, Bucky seems like a potential third co-conspirator."

"Uh oh?" Tony tried to sound surprised and ruined it when he snorted.

"Anyway, Peter and Bucky have gone through the trunk and found information on the development of the arc reactor, although it seems heavily redacted."

"Sonofabitch!"

"They found enough to be able to say Vanko developed the theory on harnessing the energy of the Tesseract, but Howard did all the developing and building of the prototype." Pepper paused for a moment. "There is documentation on Vanko’s extracurricular activities, but Howard didn’t share his suspicions, as far as we can determine, which means SHIELD must have given the information to the FBI in order to imprison him and then deport him."

Tony thought back to Monaco and his encounter with Ivan Vanko, the resentment he’d had for Howard had escalated after his father’s death in 2010. "Let’s have JARVIS draft a letter, letting Anton know I just received Howard’s records from a sketchy government agency and want to attempt to replicate the reactor as green energy. In noting his contribution to the creation of the original, tell him I’ve set up an offshore account with ten million dollars in it and will provide him five percent of the net profits when we go public. Have our closest office send a lawyer and a protection detail to meet with the Vankos today, if possible – don’t know the time difference."

"The amount is a bit higher than I would have suggested, but I understand why," Pepper answered with a sigh.

"If I have my way, the large reactors will be sold for just over cost, so there won’t be that much profit at all." Tony explained. "Hopefully, it will appease Ivan enough that he doesn’t come after me again."

There was a pause and Pepper was back. "Letter emailed to St. Petersburg and Sergi Manakov will be handling the service. As for Vanko, as long as you don’t come out as Iron Man for a bit, with that miniaturized version shining brightly in his face, he shouldn’t have any reason to try and duplicated it."

Tony laughed at her sardonic tone. "Yes, dear."

"And Justin Hammer won’t try to one-up you!"

"Yes, dear, but we still get to have the Expo next year, right?"

"I think we can arrange that," Pepper told him. "How long until you’re back?"

"About nine hours, gorgeous."

"Fly safe, Tony, love you and I’ll see you then."

She disconnected before Tony could reply, but her words made him feel warm.

"You guys are disgustingly cute," Rhodey commented dryly.

Tony snorted. "We'll find you someone, Sour Patch, I promise!"

Rhodey just laughed.

The flight back to Malibu was uneventful, which Tony was thankful for – he really didn't want to buy another fighter jet for the military. Both suits had worked at optimal capacity, and along with a brisk east to west Jetstream, they arrived at the mansion around 4am. Rhodey disappeared to his room while Tony collapsed on one of the couches in the living room. He knew Pepper would wake up if he tried to slide into bed and she had to work today.

It was Bucky who woke him up at about 10am, using a fresh brewed cup of coffee set on the side table near his head. Tony's eyes popped open to find Peter curled up against his chest, Bucky sitting in the armchair across from him, and Rhodey hunched over his own cup at the kitchen island. With a yawn, Tony carefully sat up, one hand on Peter's shoulder so he didn't fall on the floor. Peter stirred as Tony reached for his cup and sucked down half the coffee in one long gulp.

"Hey, Mr. Stark," he said sleepily as he sat up.

Tony grinned, knowing Peter was still half-asleep. "You mad at me, spiderling?"

"Nooo-ak!" Peter yelped as he fell off the cushion.

Bucky jumped across and grabbed him before he could hit his head, lifting him to his feet. Peter looked around and groaned as everyone else laughed.

"Ugh, I forgot I was little!"

Tony chuckled and took another mouthful of coffee. "Have you eaten, Underoos?"

"Yup, Mr. Bucky made me eggs and toast."

Arching an eyebrow, Tony opened his mouth to say something snarky, but was cutoff.

"And yours is waiting in the microwave, Stark, so shut it," Bucky snarked with a grin.

Once they'd all eaten and cleaned up, Rhodey headed out in the suit to deliver an after-action report to General Clarke. Tony took Peter and Bucky down to the lab for them to try on the reinforce suits he'd made them. He'd made Peter's a little larger than needed, so he had some room to grow into it. After checking them for fit, they went into the gym to determine flexibility.

Bucky's suit survived his workout, it breathed fine, and stretched when needed. Testing for penetration, Tony tried to stab him, although Tony wasn't sure about the side-eye look the Winter Solider gave him as he put increasing pressure behind his thrusts once he was sure the blade wasn’t going through.

Tony felt Bucky jump as he ran a hand down his back, looking for damage. "We should also see how bullet-proof the material is—"

Bucky squawked but Tony waved him off. "I don't mean while you are wearing it, Barnes!"

Peter laughed at them from his perch sitting on the ceiling and Tony just barely restrained from eye rolling at him. As they watched, Peter scampered across the ceiling, down the floor to ceiling windows and then did a tumbling run on the mat-covered floor. As Tony watched, he could tell the suit was binding a bit on Peter, bunching up in places when he did his tuck and rolls. While none of them wanted Peter to put himself in danger, Tony knew the kid well enough to know if one of them was threatened, he’d act. And when he did, Tony wanted to make sure he was protected to his best ability.

"Stop, Pete, and come here," Tony instructed him, waiting until the kid bounced over to run a hand down his back. "Truthfully, how does it feel."

Peter rubbed at the back of his neck. "Not as flexible as the nanotech suit, and a little heavier than the first suit you made for me, but I can move around well enough."

Carding his hand through Peter’s hair, Tony’s studied him for a minute, taking in the information. "I’ve made it as thick as Bucky’s so that it can withstand most projectiles and blades, bambino. It’s not a suit for swinging from skyscrapers on routine patrol – you’re not there yet. Would it help if it fit tighter?"

"I think this one will be fine, Dad," Peter told him quietly. "It’s more for my protection than anything and will work for sparing with Bucky and Happy."

Shaking his head, Tony ruffled Peter’s hair again, "I’ll make you a thinner one for sparing, keep it red and blue but otherwise without any identifiers on it. How’s that?"

"Thanks, Dad." Peter leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist.

Hugging him back, Tony stepped back and stood beside Bucky as Peter did another tumbling run across the floor. His phone vibrated and Tony glanced at it to find an email from Pepper telling him the building plans for the tower had been approved and construction would start the following week.

"Good news?" Bucky asked, his eye following Peter as he now bounced over the equipment in the room and then scrambled up the concrete wall.

"Groundbreaking on the tower construction will be next week."

"That’s good, yeah?"

Tony nodded, stiffening a bit as Peter back-flipped off the wall onto the mats. "It is, but it will also put us more in the spotlight. While I’m not worried about people recognizing you, but I am concerned Rogers might."

Bucky turned to face him. "Time to go see him, Tony."

Angry emotions swirled in Tony’s stomach – last thing he wanted to do, truthfully, was confront the man who put them in the position they were in. He felt Bucky’s eyes on him but couldn’t seem to stop the hard set of his face.

"Tony?"

"I know, Frosty," Tony let out a long sigh. "Maybe I’ll pummel the bag a bit before we go, just to get it out of my system."

"Or just blow some shit up." Bucky smirked.

Peter walked over and leaned against Tony. "Or you could remember that Captain Rogers’ action are what got us this second chance."

Tony looped an arm around Peter’s shoulders. "You’re too good, kiddo. I’d rather stay angry at the — man."

"Anger takes too much energy, Mr. Tony." Peter shrugged. "I’d rather use it for something fun."

"Good idea, kid," Tony steered him towards the door. "How about lunch, a swim, and then some lab time?"

"Sounds good!"

Ben, May, Pepper, and Happy joined them for lunch, the chef having sent over minestrone soup, small calzones, fruit salad, and cannolis for dessert. Tony was warmed by the laughter and gentle teasing that kept the conversation flowing. Rhodey came in halfway through and fell on the food like a starving man. As people finished, Peter began clearing the table, one of the chores he’d given himself, and stacked them in the sink. Tony rinsed plates and Bucky watched as he loaded the dish washer, a modern convenience he wasn’t familiar with.

"Tony?" Pepper called to him as he was drying his hands.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Tony found Pepper standing by the stairs and enfolded he in his arms. "Yes, beautiful?"

She smiled up at him, an amused gleam in her eyes. "The Firefighters Gala is this Saturday and we’re going, so I need you to make sure Rhodey and Bucky have new tuxedos."

Tony grinned when he heard twin groans from the two men. "You going to wear that fancy backless dress?"

Pepper leaned closer and whispered seductively in his ear. "Already hanging in my closet, babe."

His eyes smoldering, Tony gave her his best leer before he kissed her. "I’m looking forward to it."

"This time, don’t run off with my martini!" Pepper ordered him with a smile.

"As long as Stane doesn’t show up," Tony declared, remembering the last time. "I’m making you a bracelet—‘

"That’s what Bucky and Rhodey are for, Tony." Pepper narrowed her eyes. "You can make me a bracelet when you get the nanotech recreated."

"All right," Tony conceded, kissing her again before stepping back. "I think we’ll fly to DC just before we do the groundbreaking for the Tower, though."

Pulling up her tablet, Pepper frowned. "Why don’t you do a quick trip on Friday? That way we don’t have to worry about Bucky getting into any of the media coverage from the Gala." She glanced at something else. "Can you have the prototype of the military grade drone done by then?"

"Yup!" Tony chirped, mimicked Peter, who gave him an unimpressed look as Rhodey snickered.

They all went their own way for the afternoon, Pepper taking Happy and the Parkers back to SI, Rhodey and Bucky headed to the gym for a workout, and Tony scooped Peter up to go change into their swimsuits. They moved to the lab after swimming, Peter falling asleep on the couch while Tony put together the repulsor propulsion for the large drones Pepper needed. The body was already completed, apart from the infrared scanner array. The coding was ready for testing, which he planned to have Peter help him with when he woke up.

Despite his music being well below its usual volume, Tony was able to lose himself in his project, with a feeling of contentment – something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Chapter Text

The rental car pulled into the parking lot of a small neighborhood park just before 9am, Bucky driving while Tony sat in back with Peter. Positioning themselves where they could see the entire park, it wasn't long before a older man walked up the pathway to a bench under a large maple tree. It was a warm morning, and the shade of the tree would be welcome, Tony thought, as he watched Steve Rogers, who looked like he'd aged forty years. The man settled down into a comfortable position on the bench and opened the book he'd been carrying. Tony kept watching, wrestling with the emotions this version of Captain America stirred in him. He tapped his fingers over the arc reactor and took a deep breath, before pushing open the door.

"Tony."

Bucky's low voice held a warning and Tony knew why. "You guys hang back a minute, okay? And I promise won't go postal on him."

Tony caught a serious look, so out of place on an eight-year-old's face, before he turned away. Sliding his hands into the pockets of his pants, Tony walked slowly across the grass and seated himself at the opposite end of the bench. His heart was thundering in his chest as he half turned so he was angled toward his former teammate. He watched silently for several minutes, knowing the Super Soldier could hear his heartbeat, until Rogers finally looked up.

"Can I help you?"

"How's that good life working for you, Rogers." Tony examined the aged face, wondering what had happened.

The man blink, before he gave a half-smile. "I'm afraid you have me mixed up with someone else, Mr. Stark."

"No, I don't think so." Tony leaned towards him, carefully modulating his voice. "I hear you used the tech I created to go back to what, 1944? '45?"

"I—"

"Give it up, Steve, we need your help," Bucky, his voice carefully neutral, stepped up, holding Peter's hand.

Tony watched as emotions flashed across his face as Rogers looked between Bucky and Peter. He was genuinely shocked to see Bucky because he had to know the Bucky of this time would still be the Winter Solider. His stare was unnerving, but neither Bucky or Tony, when it was runed on him, reacted. Tony saw his eyes widen as Rogers' wrapped his mind around what was happening. No one ever said the man was stupid, just stubborn to a fault.

"You got really old, Mr. Captain America Rogers, sir," Peter exclaimed quietly and Tony could have kissed him.

Rogers looked at each of them in turn, before returning to meet Tony's eyes. "You couldn't have come back, I saw you—"

"Don't say it!" Peter spat out, stepping over to lean against Tony's legs.

"The stones brought us back," Tony wrapped an arm around Peter's shoulder and tugged him closer.

Looking up at Bucky for a moment, Rogers sighed. "But why?"

"To help undo all the bad stuff that led up to the purple troll got the stones," Peter said truthfully. So it won't rip things apart."

"I don't understand," Steve questioned, his forehead creased in a frown. "What things?"

"For one, we need to know what you have changed by coming back." Tony answered, holding tightly to the anger he felt.

"I have been diligent not to do anything that would change the course of history," Rogers snapped out.

"Yeah, we noticed," Bucky muttered, bitterness lacing his tone.

"That doesn't mean I didn't want to!" Rogers exclaimed, giving Bucky a pleading look. "It's been incredible hard not to step in when I knew something bad was going to happen!" He took a deep breath. "And I don't understand how you can be here, changing the timeline—"

"The stones sent us back into our younger bodies, to change the future." Tony enlightened him. "Your coming back in time and staying is one of the things that ripped the fabric of the universe. It won't happen again in our new future.," Tony's words were emphatic, his tone hard.

"Why tell me, then?"

Bucky scrubbed a hand over his face and moved to sit on the bench between Tony and Rogers. "To be honest, I actually wanted to find you and punch you in your perfect teeth for allowing certain events to happen when you could have stepped in, but I get it, I guess."

Rogers looked taken back by Bucky's words, but Tony's focus was on Peter. The kid had begun to tremble, and Tony reached over to lift him into his lap. Wrapping his arms around Peter, Tony settled him against his chest. Both Rogers and Bucky turned toward them.

"Breathe, Underoos," Tony told him quietly.

"He doesn't know, Dad, he wasn't there!" Peter's voice caught on the words. "He didn't see the literal rips in the sky or the destruction that rained down on the Earth!"

Tony's heart clenched. Peter had never really explained what had happened to prompt him to agree to Strange's desperate spell, which ended Peter Parker's existence. He hugged Peter harder.

"It won't happen this time, bambino; we won't let it!" Tony reassured him is a soothing voice. "I swear it."

Bucky reached over and brushed Peter's hair back. "None of us will, Pete."

Tony leveled a hard look at Rogers. "I guess I can understand your motivation, Rogers, in coming back to Peggy. I would have been the first to say that you were owed some happiness, but in doing so, somehow, something went wrong. We debated long and hard on whether to make ourselves known to you, but Bucky was convinced you would cooperate, if for no other reason than you owned him that loyalty. We have to trust that you won't go to Fury or anyone at SHIELD." Tony paused to take a breath.

Bucky took up the conversation. "We need you to write down everything you did when you brought the stones back – was your timing off, were you seen, did anything out of the ordinary happen? And once you returned to Peggy, what did you change? We know you prevented her marriage to Daniel Sousa, raised two children with her, and somehow remained hidden from even her co-workers at SHIELD. What did you do for a living? Whose life have you saved in this lifeline or who may have died that didn't before?"

Standing, Bucky reached into his pocket and drew out an envelope, already addressed to Bucky at SI. "If you use this envelope, I'll get it."

Tony held up a hand to Bucky, who immediately grabbed it and pulled him to his feet, Peter still clinging on to him. He met Rogers' eyes. "One of the reasons we decided to contact you was we were afraid you might see Buck's picture and put two and two together, so we wanted to forewarn you. We don't expect anything from you, except that list of possible changes. Have a great life, Cap."

Carrying Peter to the car, Tony didn't look back. He knew Bucky had things he wanted to say to his onetime best friend, but he knew the man would temper them, knowing they needed that list. He had gotten himself and Peter settled in the car, by the time Bucky slid into the driver's seat. No one spoke as they headed back to the airstrip.

Pouting, Tony sat in the back of his favorite Audio sedan, with his arms cross over his chest, Rhodey having once again having commandeered the driving duties. His best friend just laughed at him and continued to navigate the Pacific Coast Highway expertly. With a sigh, Tony smoothed the front of his tux and stared out the window, the beauty of the scenery passing by unseen. His mind returned to the problem of fabricating a new arm for Bucky. Well, not the arm itself, Tony had assisted Suri with the Vibranium arm Bucky had been given during the time he was in Wakanda, but the joint. He remembered the mess HYDRA had made of the man's shoulder and Tony wanted Bucky to be able to remove the arm when he wanted to.

Bucky twitched as Tony turned his gaze on the man, riding in the front with Rhodey – in the proper bodyguard position, he claimed. Tony had rolled his eyes and wished Pepper hadn't talked him into making a separate and later entrance than she did. Aware of the duties she had at the gala itself, Tony had reluctantly agreed. They couldn't afford for him to suddenly start acting differently than he had in the past. Adding Bucky as a bodyguard made sense after the being taken in Afghanistan, but Tony needed to present the same rich arrogant asshole personality he'd still projected when he'd gotten back. The dance he had planned with Pepper would probably start tongues wagging, but she was already COO of SI, while Tony retained the CEO title in name, at least. The group was weighing the pros and cons of releasing the news of their marriage.

"Two minutes out, Tony." Bucky threw over his shoulder, his head swiveling more now that they were in Los Angeles and the heavier traffic around the Disney Concert Hall.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea when Rhodey rolled up to the red carpet and hopped out, handing the keys to one of the SI security team who would keep the car in the immediate area. Bucky was out the passenger door and around to the other side, before Rhodey could put his tux jacket to rights. Stepped into position, Bucky blocked Tony from the crowds behind the barricades who were celebrity watching, his eyes scanning high for a sniper. A quick tug of his jacket, Tony gave him a small nod and started up the carpet, Rhodey falling in beside him and Bucky at their backs. The camera flashes were blinding.

Some blonde leaned into their path. "Tony! Remember me?"

"Sure don't," Tony shot back, deftly stepping around her. He saw a familiar figure surrounded by beautiful women and gave the man a pat on the back as he walked by.

"Looking good, Hef!"

Tony jogged up the steps and into the reception, Rhodey having been stopped by one of the generals on the committee, but Bucky stayed glued to his side as Tony stepped up to the bar, letting Bucky check the room for danger. He stuffed a hundred-dollar bill in the tip glass and took whatever the bartender had poured for him. Turning around, he lifted it as if taking a drink, his eyes scanning the crowd across the dance floor. Tony found Pepper almost immediately, standing in a group of people he recognized as longtime contributors to the Firefighters Fund.

Setting his glass back on the bar, Tony began to weave his way across the floor, easily inserting himself in the circle of people. Returning the greetings from those he knew; Tony gave them his media smile, charming the men as well as the woman. Throwing a wink at an elderly widow, one who'd just groped his ass, Tony guided Pepper onto the dance floor.

"You really do look gorgeous, love," he whispered in her ear as they made their way slowly around the floor.

Pepper subtly pushed him a little further away, never letting the polite smile curving her lips falter. "Behave, lover boy, I don't think we are ready to scandalize the donors yet. Besides, both the James look like you've already stressing them out."

"Jeez, babe, Rhodey's one thing, but I can't believe what a mother hen Barnes turned out to be!" he grumbled softly as led her on another circuit of the floor. "Think Coulson will pop up?"

"I'm not sure; we did throw him for quite a loop."

The music ended and Tony had maneuvered them to the doors leading onto the balcony. Tony took a step back, sliding his hand down until it closed around Pepper's hand, and tugged her outside. They both took a deep breath of the cool evening air, before standing together at the railing. As much as Tony wanted to throw convention to the wind, he knew it would make Pepper's taking control of SI harder if he kissed her right at that moment.

Taking in a deep breath, Tony took a step away. "I'll go get your drink. Where's Happy hiding?"

Pepper laughed as she brushed a stray curl out of her face. "There was traditional Tiramisu on the dessert table, so I assume he's still there."

Tony laughed, knowing Happy's sweet tooth was even worse than his own and Tiramisu was his favorite. "Should have guessed! I'll be right back."

The bartender smiled at Tony as he requested Pepper's drink, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Dismissing thoughts of Peter's spidey-senses, Tony turned to look at Christine Everhart, who stood facing him, an inscrutable look on her face and photos in her hand.

Despite being surprised, Tony acknowledged her. "Christine."

Looking unimpressed that he'd actually remembered her name, the reporter handed him two large pictures. "Have you seen these?" she asked.

Tony immediately identified one of the two males in the top photo as Obediah Stane and, looking closer, the other as Ivan Vanko. He restrained the groan he felt crawling up his throat at the implication.

"When were these taken?" he demanded.

"About twelve hours ago, outside Moscow," Everhart informed him. "Any statement about what your fugitive godfather might be doing meeting with Ivan Vanko."

Tony gave her a look, his face serious. "Nothing good, if the rumors about both have any truth." He glanced at her. "May I keep these?"

Everhart nodded, looking a bit surprised.

"Thanks," Tony told her, grabbing Pepper's drink in his unoccupied hand and leaving the bar. He pressed the photos into Bucky's hand as the other man appeared at his side, as he stepped back out onto the balcony and his wife.

"I can't believe you made it back," Pepper teased him as she accepted the drink, taking a sip. "What did Everhart want?"

"Well, instead of pictures of Gulmira, she had pictures of Stane meeting with Vanko in Moscow."

Pepper almost snorted her martini, putting a hand over her mouth as she swallowed. "That's unexpected! It's a good thing we got to him first."

Tony looked up into the sky for a moment. "He's a crook and a thief, babe, no scruples at all, so who knows whether he'll even honor the agreement he signed. And Stane was in the thick of things, back when Howard and Anton were working on the reactor, so I'm pretty sure Anton could have replicated the plans for junior."

Pepper took a deep breath and then long drink of her cocktail. "So, you're telling me we may have a repeat of the Expo fiasco?"

Tony shook his head, "Not if I have anything to say. I gave Bucky the photos and he should have passed them to Happy—"

"He did - I was with Happy, and have a call into General Clarke," Rhodey stepped out onto the balcony, a full highball glass in his hand. 'I'm going have the car brought around, if you're ready, Tones."

Tony nodded, pausing to kiss Pepper's temple. "We'll go take a nap otherwise everything is ready for the mission tomorrow."

She gave his hand a squeeze, both of the cognizant of the possibility of lurking cameras. "I have Happy and the crew, I'll be fine."

Moving back inside, Rhodey fell into step with him as he set the untouched drink on a waiter's tray, Bucky walking a step behind. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw a figure standing in the shadowed corner of the main room, just as Bucky stepped around him and detoured that away. He and Rhodey paused on the red carpet to smile at the photographers, giving Bucky a chance to catch up, before making their way to the Audi.

"Coulson?" Tony asked as soon as they were in the car.

"Yeah," Bucky confirmed. "Didn't really want to talk to me, moved away before I could corner him."

"Hmmm, interesting" Tony murmured. "Watching from the shadows. We'll have to keep an eye on home."

Tony actually was able to sleep for almost four hours, and felt refreshed when he stepped onto the platform for his suit to form around him. Rhodey suited up beside him and Barnes wandered down the stairs, a large mug of coffee in his hand as he stood in the garage watching them.

The helmet closed around Tony's head, but he left the faceplate up. "Everyone else still asleep?"

"Peter was stirring, but I think he settled back down," Bucky told him. "JARVIS will warn me before he wanders down."

"Good," Tony responded, before the faceplate slid down over his face. "You're going to stay on comms?" His voice sounding more robotic.

"And monitor the security feeds," Bucky told him. "The others will be keeping Pete occupied."

Tony gave him a nod. "All right, ready Platypus?"

"Let's go!"

They launched out of the garage entrance into the pre-dawn skies. JARVIS skirted them around potential hostile airspace, as well as a thunderstorm cell which created turbulence and windshear. It delayed their arrival on scene but the sun hadn't risen yet and it didn't really create any problems at the first weapons cache. However, there were only a handful of armed mercenaries standing guard, and most of them laid their weapons down the moment Tony landed in front of them. He didn’t even bother with them, pointing out to Rhodey which side of the warehouse building he was taking. They were in and out in less than five minutes, the building blowing sky high as they flew off.

The next two caches of weapons went similarly, with little resistance and no casualties. The fourth and final target was a large warehouse building which had been hastily erected in the last two weeks, too close to the area where Tony had been picked up by Rhodey to be a coincidence. There were a large number of heavily armed defenders, whether terrorist or mercenaries, Tony couldn’t tell. Utilizing percussion grenades at first, Tony soon moved on to more lethal weapons as the firefight escalated.

"There’s something in that building they don’t want us to see, Tony," Rhodey spoke Tony’s own thoughts aloud.

"Cover me, Honey Bear, I’m going in for a look."

Not bothering with the door, Tony blasted a hole in a section of wall, pushing debris away to step through.

"I’m detecting four heat signatures, Sir," JARVIS advised him.

His HUD showed two snipers were the source of the bullets slamming into the walls around him, which he took out with ruthless efficiency. Looking towards the opposite end of the space, Tony felt his heart stutter. The last two heat signatures were crouched behind a platform where Obadiah Stane’s War Monger stood. It appeared to be almost complete, but there was no reactor in its chest, explaining why Stane was photographed in Russia with Vanko. He was there to commission a miniaturized arc reactor, something Ivan Vanko would have done several weeks ago. Now, however, it would violate his agreement with Tony and SI.

What felt like being center punched in the solar plexus, was the tentacled symbol of HYDRA on the platform. Anger surged in him and Tony swooped down grabbing the two lab-coated scientists and took them out through the tin roof.

"Son of a bitch!" Bucky's voice came through the comms. "That bastard!"

"Stane’s building his suit in there!" Tony told Rhodey grimly. "Blow it up!"

Dropping the two men he had on the ground, Tony stunned them with an electrical charge before rejoining Rhodey who had already begun sending missiles into the warehouse. Tony concentrated his fire at where the War Monger had been. Answering explosions told him he’d manager to hit what he wanted to.

"JARVIS, send still photos of the armor as well as the platform to Pepper, Bucky, and General Clarke."

"Tones?"

"And Rhodey."

His platypus had some interesting and colorful curses, with Bucky interjecting his own in at least three different Eastern European languages, making the flight home entertaining. It kept Tony from cycling about Stane’s involvement in HYDRA and how far back it when. Had the bastard betrayed Howard like he’d done Tony? Howard had been one of the founding members of SHIELD, how could he not know his business partner was HYDRA!

Diverting around the storm and then a detour to avoid a pair of MIGs doing maneuvers, they still made it home in time to help tuck Peter into bed.

"You’ve been gone two whole days, Dad," Peter had accused in a watery voice, huge brown puppy eyes turning Tony into a puddle of goo.

"We’ll do some lab time tomorrow, Underoos, I promise."

Peter still had a smile as he slipped into sleep and Tony pressed a kiss to his forehead. Closing the bedroom door silently, Tony scrubbed a tired hand over his face and knew he needed to eat something before he tried to sleep. Walking down towards the kitchen, Tony was surprised to find the adults waiting for him. Rhodey was already eating and Tony sat down across from him, where a place had been set for him. The tortellini looked delicious and Tony dived in.

Tony looked up when Pepper cleared her throat. Both Pepper and May had glasses of red wine, while Happy, Ben, and Bucky were drinking beers. Taking a closer look, Tony took in Pepper’s expression and swallowed hard. He washed the bite down with his soda.

"Pep? What’s happened?" He asked quietly.

Draining her glass, Pepper gave him a rueful smile. "JARVIS completed the financial analysis of SI and found a significant amount was taken off the top of the profits from the weapons division. There are also some specific SI tech grants that were renewed annually. One of Stane’s direct reports was in charge of the grant funding program and increased the amount by twenty percent a year."

"Sounds like embezzlement to me. I wonder how much went to SHIELD and how much was siphoned off by HYDRA," Tony muttered, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes.

"JARVIS is trying to run that down, actually," Pepper answered, "but that wasn’t all." She took a deep breath. "Howard also personally funded Peggy Carter’s $250,000 a year pension after she retired from SHIELD in the fall of 1991. He set in place a pension for her husband, Grant, at the same time."

Tony felt anger start to well within him. "How much?"

"Same - $250,000 a year. Oh, and Howard put in the clause that Peggy’s pension would go to Grant until he died."

His chest seemed to constrict, and Tony worked to take a deep breath, in and out. The bastard had known. All those years he’d been the condescending, critical asshole, and mostly absent father, Howard fucking Stark had known his "friend" Captain America had been alive and married to Peggy. All the supposed voyages to the Arctic to search for the Valkyrie had been a lie, at least after he’d found the Tesseract. Was that money funneled into Peggy’s retirement account?

Pepper was beside him, a hand rubbing his back as she quietly crooned in his ear. "Breathe, honey, in and hold it and out."

She kept up this monologue for several minutes until Tony was able to take a deep, cleansing breath. Opening his eyes (wondering when he’d closed them), Tony gave his wife a half-smile. "Thanks, babe."

Staying where she was, Pepper ran her hand through the hair on the back of his head. "In my opinion, we should immediately cut off any funding for SHIELD, and if anyone asks, we’re re-evaluating the newly uncovered funding. We don’t have to give any reason for it other than that. I also believe we should halt payment on the pensions, until we find whatever agreement Howard made and review it."

"Take Steve’s away," Tony instructed, leaning into Pepper’s touch. "We’ll continue Peggy’s until we find the documentation. We also need to find Howard’s will, as I don’t remember ever seeing a copy of it. Stane was the executor and I was only told that I inherited everything, but needed my MBA before taking over the company."

"Tony, did Howard have a safe or vault built into the old mansion in New York?" Rhodey asked thoughtfully. "Would he have left you a message of some kind, like he did with the Palladium?"

The implication had Tony on his feet but he didn’t know whether to be happy or angry. Had Howard filmed the message to Tony on the tape of the Stark Expo 1974 because he knew Tony would need a new element for the miniaturized arc reactor? Had Rogers told him about the future? About what happened to Tony after Howard’s death? Was this the break in the timeline that had cause rips in the universe.

"All right." He blew out a breath. "We are going to the groundbreaking in New York this coming week, so we’ll add a day to go up to the mansion and see what we can find. I’ve had it maintained since I left there in ’92 to move to Malibu and to my knowledge, no one has been inside except the weekly cleaners and security. JARVIS, see if you can do a visual check of the house and labs, see if there are any other card keys have been used to access the house."

"Very good, Sir."

Chapter Text

They flew out late Sunday night, Tony and Rhodey flying in their suits as a precaution, and the rest on the jet. Ben had a retirement meeting at his precinct, and Peter wanted to visit Ned. The first of the Youth Science camps were to be held in June and Peter wanted to make sure Ned could go. They had decided to explain Tony as a distant cousin of Peter’s mother, who had reconnected after Afghanistan. Happy was going to drive May and Peter to the Leeds’ apartment so the boys could play for a while. Ease Ned’s parents into the idea of their son doing special tutoring classes with Peter, as Tony wanted to encourage Ned’s coding abilities.

Rhodey veered off when they approached JFK, as he had a meeting with the brass in Washington, D.C. Tony flew on to the Manhattan penthouse they had rented for the next year or so, while the tower was being built. With the owner’s permission, Tony had reinforced the balcony and the roof top garden in order to land the armor there. While the was no workshop at the location, it wasn’t that far from the SI factory and warehouse complex on the harbor. For the present, Tony had avoided flying over the upstate property where the compound would ultimately sit; those memories were still too fresh.

One of the security guards met Tony on the balcony as he stepped out of the Mark 2.0, opening the sliding glass doors for him. Nodding at the guard as he left, Tony scanned the inside of the suite for surveillance devices.

"There are two listening devices, Sir, one attached to the middle leg of the couch and one in the lamp shade of the king bedroom. Both have been rendered inoperable."

"Thanks, J," Tony acknowledged, moving through the sitting room to the kitchenette. "Who planted them?"

"The one in the sitting room was transmitting on a known SHIELD frequency, while the one in the bedroom is unfamiliar. And no one has been in the rooms since last night, when a cleaning crew came through."

His eyes narrowed. "Unescorted?"

"As far as I can determine, Sir."

"Lock out all card keys, except the head of security, the general manager, and our people, JARVIS."

"Done, sir," JARVIS voice had an edge to it. "I have also been able to pull video surveillance from the elevator cameras. Sir, and facial recognition identifies SHIELD Agents Romanoff and Agent Barton."

Tony sighed, that explained the one bug, but not necessarily the second. He knew Bucky was worried about HYDRA attempting to get him back, should he be recognized. Rhodey had taken him to a barber to shorten his hair and put blonde highlights in the spiked tips. When Tony saw him, he’d laughed and told him he looked like Barton, to which Barnes gave him a scary Winter Solider worthy scowl. Bucky retaliated by immediately beginning to grow a goatee like Happy’s, which Tony actually approved of.

Despite the shenanigans, the new look did transform Bucky’s appearance, especially when dressed in a suit. Tony further helped the disguise by creating a latex covering which matched Bucky’s skin tone, so he didn’t have to wear gloves all the time. Tony had a new arm designed for Bucky, based on the arm he and Shuri had collaborated on, but they needed a neurosurgeon who could do the shoulder implant. He had a call into Steven Strange to get his opinion, although he knew the wizard hadn’t been sent back or he’d have said something when he saw Pepper at the hospital. In this time, Strange was a world class surgeon, knew nerves, and if you could get passed his arrogance, could do the job, While Helen Cho was just beginning her cradle research.

Tony stared out the window, his eyes following the dance of yellow cabs on the street far below him. Pepper and Bucky should be there soon, and Tony wanted to get a look at the construction site that afternoon. Maybe they could walk to the little deli about a block down. The elevator dinged in the foyer area and Tony moved to open the apartment door in anticipation.

"Sir, the new satellite with the ground penetrating radar has found an anomaly in the search area you designated."

The elevator door slid open, and Bucky stepped out first, eyes automatically scanning the area, before he waved Pepper forward. Tony stood in the doorway, waiting.

"On land?"

"It appears to be on an ice shelf which could have formed in the past sixty years."

Stepping aside, Tony gave Pepper a kiss as he digested the news. "In international waters, J?"

"Yes, Sir, while closer to Russian claimed territory, the ping is coming from what should be open ocean."

"Direct the search vessel to the area, JARVIS, and ask the captain to give me a call once they are on scene."

"Very good, Sir."

"The Valkyrie?" Pepper asked, setting her purse down on the table.

Tony nodded, taking off the jacket of his under suit. "Yeah, apparently the ground penetrating radar has a ping in the area that is large enough to be the plane."

"How far is it from where the Tesseract was originally found?" Bucky inquired.

Tony blinked. "No sure – you think there is a correlation?"

"I’m not sure," Bucky admitted, "I was studying some of Howard’s notes on where he’d found the cube and was trying to see if I could figure out the undersea current speed to factor in the possible drift."

He blinked again, giving Bucky a once over. "Peggy always said you were the smart one when Howard was going on about Rogers, but I didn’t think she meant literally the one with brains!"

A sheepish grin made Bucky look younger than the early thirties they had figured he was, based on the time he remembered spending out of cryofreeze. Apparently, it had taken HYDRA years to completely overcome the soldier’s resistance.

"I always loved science, went to the Stark Expo before I shipped out just to see his flying car."

Tony snorted. "I figure that problem out when I was nine, but good to know; you can science with Peter, Rhodey, and I in the lab."

Bucky gave him a deadpan look. "Tony, I already help you in the lab."

"But now I can make you work harder!" Tony quipped as Pepper lightly smacked the back of his head.

"Quit abusing the Super Solider, Tony." Pepper walked around the kitchen area, checking the cupboards and the refrigerator. "Are we waiting to order supplies for a reason?"

"Sir had instructed them to arrive today," JARVIS answered.

"I wanted to check them before I let us eat anything!" Tony told them defensively.

"Your paranoia is showing, darling," Pepper said dryly as she turned to look at him. "JARVIS order up some New York pizza, with salads all around, and soda."

"Yes, Ms. Potts."

"Mrs. Stark," Tony grumbled under his breath, ignoring Pepper’s smug look. "And I’m not paranoid if there is a threat, honey."

Pepper arched an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Apparently a cleaning crew came through last night to freshen up the penthouse and left behind a couple of listening devices. JARVIS has already looped them and I believe one is definitely SHIELD and the other is either them or HYDRA as they are similar in construction."

"Do you think HYDRA has figured out Bucky is here?" Pepper wanted to know.

Shaking his head, Tony gestured at the man. "We've kept his face out of all the published pictures we've seen. JARVIS is also actively scrubbing him out of any files he can find, especially any pictures which can be used to program facial recognition software. AND we know that he was returned to this time without the trigger words and the mind stone has repaired all damage HYDRA did."

"I still think we need to disguise his appearance as much as possible, for his own safety. Even if his brain is protected, HYDRA would still torture him again."

"I thought putting him in suits would help with that, Pep," Tony explained running a hand through his hair. "Maybe it's time to go for the Captain America leather jacket and cap look for a while, Frosty."

"Hmph," Bucky gave him the evil eye. "I’m going to do a physical sweep."

Tony blinked and then grinned as Bucky disappeared down the hallway towards the bedrooms and grabbed Pepper’s hand to tug her into his arms. "The kids are all occupied, babe," he said in his best seductive voice. "Want to make out?"

Pepper took one look at his leer and burst out laughing. She did take pity on his subsequent pout to kiss him senseless. Tony led his wife to the master bedroom in the opposite hallway and they spent the time waiting for the pizza examining their new space. Tony was careful to grab a Kleenex from the bathroom to pluck the bug off the bedside lamp and pocketed it to give to Bucky. He didn’t like the idea the spy twins had gotten into the apartment so easily, especially in a building which prided itself on its security.

Tony was especially glad he was able to incorporate JARVIS into the penthouse via temporary servers he had delivered the week before. He just needed to install them in one of the pantry cabinets and put up the temporary cameras to give the AI the full range of visuals to go with the infrared and other scanners. He would keep the cameras out of the bedrooms, except Peter’s, installing audio only in them. He would make their temporary home as safe as he could.

The groceries arrived at the same time as the pizza and, after eating, Tony and Bucky put the food away while Pepper relaxed. Tony expected the others back by suppertime and began to set aside the ingredients needed for a simple pasta and vegetable dish. Glancing at Bucky, Tony noted he’d been very quiet that afternoon.

"Something bothering you, snowflake?"

Bucky set several boxes of cereal on a shelf in a lower cupboard where Peter would be able to reach them, before turning and giving Tony his complete attention. "Did Steve every tell you what happened when he woke up from the ice?"

Tony put aside his ingredients and leaned against the marble countertop. "I don’t think that ever came up in conversation."

Bucky nodded, absently running his flesh hand through his short hair. "When he awoke for the first time, he was in a room that looked like a hotel room, dressed in a SSR tee shirt and khaki pants, with his combat boots on his feet. There was a 40’s style radio sitting on the dresser, with a baseball game from 1941 playing – a game I took him to when I was still working at the docks. A woman came in, dressed in an old Army WAC uniform, with her hair worn down, which, of course, was against regulations. He knew immediately she wasn’t Army nor a nurse in any branch of the military. His first thought was that HYDRA had found him in the Valkyrie and captured him. When he confronted the woman, she signaled someone, and, in the next moment, what he later learned was the SHIELD STRIKE team came through the door. He threw them into a wall, which they went through, and he followed them out into a large, cavernous room, running towards the only daylight he saw and out a door. Found himself running down very familiar streets, until he found himself in Time Square – a very different Time Square."

Bucky took a breath. "That’s where Fury caught up with him."

Tony was astonished. Why hadn’t Rogers been in a hospital bed, hooked up to monitors, for fuck’s sake? The man had been frozen for seventy years, who knew what his mental condition could have been! He scrubbed a hand over his face.

"No doubt deposited him in a SHIELD apartment, with appliances and electronic gear he’d never seen before." Tony scowled. "I know they gave him files full of God knows what – including a not so nice dossier on myself!"

Giving him a small smile, Bucky nodded. "Except he wasn’t given anything, sounds like he had to ask for everything he needed."

"Well, shit!" Tony just starred. "Sounds like SHIELD helped create the no-give, stubborn idiot Steve became."

"Well, he's always been a stubborn idiot, they just helped ingrain it completely." Bucky retorted. "And once he gets an idea in his head, he just won't budge." The man met Tony's eyes. "It was like your—your parents, Tony, Steve couldn't look past protecting his best friend, in order to see the bigger picture; that HYDRA had orchestrated an assassination against a prominent industrialist and government contractor, who had been attempting to recreate a top-secret human enhancement drug for one of said government's shadier agencies."

Tony gave his brain a moment to process the statement and felt his eyes widen. "I'd never considered that angle," he admitted. "It might have made a difference in how Project Insight was dealt with."

Bucky cocked his head. "It would have definitely made a difference in how things played out in Siberia, Tony," he said softly. "Had you been told when Steve discovered what happened, I don’t think you would have had the reaction you did."

Closing his eyes, as the horror of the battle in that frozen bunker hit him full force, Tony felt himself begin to tremble. The ferocity of Rogers' moves, the finality of him slamming the shield into Tony’s chest, and then leaving him absolutely stranded in a dead suit. If FRIDAY hadn’t raised the alarm and Vision found him so quickly, Tony wasn’t sure he’d have survived the night.

"Sir, it’s 2:15 pm EDT, in Manhattan, in the new penthouse apartment just off Park Avenue. You are here with Mrs. Stark and James Barnes—"

A now familiar hand firmly grasped his shoulder, and Tony could feel someone crouching beside him. "Deep breath, in and hold it and out. I’m so sorry, Tony. It won’t happen this time, I promise."

Taking several deep breaths, Tony concentrated on Pepper's hand at the back of his neck and Bucky's gripping his shoulder. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, repeating the sequence several times.

"Thank you," Tony said softly, allowing the two help him to his feet. "I promise, Bucky, we'll do better, as least give our Steve the benefit of a gentler introduction to the modern world."

Nodding, Bucky left them in the living room as he went to organize his own room. Tony joined Pepper on the couch to just relax together for a while. His mind swirling, Tony made a conscious effort to slow it down, remembering the meditation techniques Bruce Banner had taught him in another life. Meditation had a big hand in keeping Tony sane in the aftermath of the Snap and what had happened on Titan.

The dinging of the elevator signaled the arrival of the other members of their new family. The Parkers and Happy had decided to get sandwiches from Delmar’s before returning to the penthouse, Peter fast asleep by the time they got there. Happy carried him down the hallway to his room, next to his aunt and uncle’s room and across from Tony and Pepper.

The adults gathering around the peninsula in the kitchen and discussed how they could better introduce Steve to this era. If they were able to find him quickly, they would put him in Bucky’s room, the only one with two double beds. May had already started researching the best way to rewarm someone with hypothermia, and was even diving into cryogenics, so she’d have a solid understanding of what it did to the body. It could help if Bucky ever got sick, how his years in cryostasis affected him.

The next few days sped by, everyone busy with various meetings and tasks, most centering around the new tower. The groundbreaking had gone well, a perfect photo-op for the press; the sun was shining, Tony in a hard hat, the construction manager and the architect, and a crowd of adoring Iron Man fans. Tony swore he saw Bucky and Happy roll their eyes in tandem several times as Tony played to the crowd. That evening, Pepper spirited Tony away to a private birthday dinner at his favorite Italian restaurant, having rented out the place for the evening. Bucky stayed to guard them as Happy ran everyone else’s dinner back to the penthouse. Cake and ice cream followed with their friends, before the they had retired early.

Chapter Text

Wednesday, Tony drove to Stark Mansion with Bucky and Rhodey, taking the wheel himself this time. He paid attention to the road, memories of growing up in the large mansion swirling at the edge of his thoughts. After Jarvis and Ana’s deaths, Tony had only rarely been back to the house, usually alone, and almost always overwhelmed by the past. He took a deep breath as JARVIS activated the gate and slowly drove up the winding driveway, only to see an older model Ford SUV already parked in the front circular drive. As they pulled to a stop behind the car, Bucky was out the door before Tony could put the car in park. Rhodey followed, moving to stand between Tony and the vehicle, which had Tony rolling his eyes at his best friend.

The door of the SUV opened and Tony may have sighed in exasperation when he saw who stepped out. "What the fuck, Rogers?"

Steve Rogers stood still, a solemn look on his face. It was a face Tony was unfortunately familiar with, the one that convinced him time travel was possible.

Tony wanted to punch it.

Bucky stopped his advance when Steve threw him a look. "What are you doing here, Steve?"

Rhodey moved to stand at Tony's shoulder as they watched Steve fish an envelope out of his pocket, Bucky tensing slightly. Both he and Tony relaxed when they saw it was the envelope Bucky had given him.

"Well, I tried to do what you asked and write things down that I might have changed, but it seems out of place without the context behind it. So, I thought I would come see if I could find you instead."

Tony was baffled and wasn't sure how to respond, especially when Rogers looked so earnest and comfortable in their presence.

Rhodey, however, continued to frown and brought his arms up to cross them over his chest. "How did you even get in here?"

Rogers managed to look surprised. "Howard gave us the gate code when he had it installed, after Tony was born. It's never changed."

Tony's jaw dropped. Steve Rogers had been to the mansion during Tony's childhood and Howard had still acted the way he had? Why had his own father hated him that much? He can feel his chest tighten and his heart start to pound.

"Tones?" Rhodey slug an arm around his shoulders just as Tony started to spiral. "Shake it off, Tony! It's not your fault Howard was such an asshole!"

"Tony! Please listen to me for a minute." Rogers took a step closer, even as Bucky stepped in front of him. "I think you are looking at the this from the wrong perspective."

"Let's take this into the house," Rhodey interjected, directing Tony with a hand to his back.

Tony walked forward, allowing Rhodey to guide him and Bucky to have his back as he struggled to get his breathing under control. A double tap to his new watch signaled JARVIS to begin scanning the area for audio and video surveillance devices as Tony fished in his pocket for the key to the front door. Tony moved out from under Rhodey's arm, and slide the key into the lock, his mind flashing to Jarvis' smile when the then three-year-old Tony managed to manipulate the lock for the first time.

The foyer was spotless, the house smelling of lemon polish and lavender. The regular cleaning crew should have been there yesterday and Tony moved further into the room to allow the others to come in. Tony tapped on his watch once as he eyes swept the foyer.

"Sir, there are numerous listening devices which have been secreted throughout the mansion." JARVIS' voice in his ear almost sounded affronted. "I am still working on looping them. Due to multiple frequencies, it is taking a bit longer than usual."

"Tony?" Rhodey stood at his elbow.

Tony looked up at him and then at the other two, holding a finger up to his lips. He sent a text to JARVIS.

"The laboratory in the basement is clear of any devices, Sir, and there are no other people in the residence." JARVIS' voice in his ear was grounding, as much as his platypus' hand on his shoulder.

Tony signaled the others to follow him and led the way across the foyer, toward one of the corridors which branched off, and down the long flight of stairs to the right. Whereas the house above them was spotless, this area was only cleaned twice a year and under the supervision of security personnel Tony had handpicked. The laboratory was behind a heavy, solid iron door and stretched the entire length of the basement. He paused for a moment and then punched in the code for the door: 04071970.

Tony froze, his eyes darting to Steve for an instant, before pushing down on the door handle. The laboratory was exactly as Tony remembered, for the most part unchanged since the day his father had last worked in it. The only exception was a small bookshelf which was placed near the hidden vault, which he didn't remember, in the far back corner of the room.

"Tony?"

Bucky stood beside him, a solid support, while Rhodey remained by the door. Rogers had stepped into the lab and slowly turned in a circle, looking around with curiosity. Tony resisted the temptation to go direct to the bookshelf and turned toward Rogers.

"What," Tony asked through gritted teeth, "is it you want to tell us?"

Rogers swung around to face Tony and spread his hands out, palms up in a placating manner that instantly infuriated Tony. He pushed his anger down.

"Tony, I didn't change your childhood," Rogers said softly. "You came back into your younger bodies in this timeline, and even if they had slightly different experiences – your childhood was exactly as you remember it."

The vein in his right temple was already throbbing as Tony's eyes swept the large room again. "At any time since you returned to the past, did you get the impression that Howard knew who you really were?"

Rogers ran a hand through his hair. "Just before you were born, Howard showed up at the house, despite knowing Peggy was at work. He seemed to be confused, and a bit frantic. By then, I had aged twenty-five years, had developed wrinkles, and my hair was already gray. Howard asked me, and he knew I wasn't a scientist, what I thought of the possibility of time travel." Rogers smiled slightly. "I asked what he was drinking."

"And he threw a fit?" Tony snapped out sarcastically.

"No, actually, he just got a look of profound sadness on his face," Steve told him quietly.

"So, he knew?" Rhodey interjected, taking a step closer. "About the Time Heist?"

Rogers kept his eyes on Tony, who struggled to take as deep a breath as he could, right hand coming up to rub his chest next to the reactor. Could they trust Steve Rogers? Even Bucky had reservations about the man and his actions in their first timeline. Tony exchanged a glance with Rhodey, seeking his opinion and getting a small dip of his head. Shifting, Tony sought out Bucky, who gave a small shrug before he nodded.

"The combination on the door to the lab is the date Rogers and I took the Tesseract and Pym Particles from Camp Lehigh."

Steve Rogers' jaw tightened for a moment before he sighed. "That actually doesn't surprise me. I made a point of staying away from Howard, but Peggy worked closely with him. When I came back, I told her everything, censored of course, but including the possibility of HYDRA getting a foothold when Zola was brought on. We only had that one conversion and didn't speak of it again." He sighed again. "I thought I was keeping the future safe and unchanged."

"Apparently not," Bucky muttered, but visibly relaxing his shoulders.

"All right," Tony speared a hand through his hair. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

Rogers took a step closer, his face the picture of sincerity. "I want to help - in any way you deem acceptable. The guilt I carry from abandoning Bucky for my own selfish reasons, plus the burden of standing by when I knew events were going to happen, has weighed on me all these years." Rogers looked down before straightening and meeting Tony's eyes. "Peggy doesn't know me anymore and it's only a matter of time before I'm left totally alone. I'd like to do something productive with the time I have left."

"Productive? Not Destructive?" Tony snarked. "How do you expect me to trust you after everything that happened!"

Rogers had the decency to flush with guilt, his eyes on the floor. "I honestly don't expect you to trust me, Tony, but I think I can contribute to the changes you are trying to make. I will accept any conditions you put on me and adhere to your wishes." He raised his head to meet Tony's eyes. "I swear I'll do my best to earn your trust back."

Staring into the blue eyes, shimmering with emotion, Tony weighed his options, the good and the bad, before sighing loudly. "It's not going to be easy." He blew out a breath. "And you'll have to face Pepper and the kid."

Tony was sure Rogers paled at that and Bucky snorted, muttering under his breath about "stubborn asses".

Rhodey joined them in the middle of the room. "Well, you already know what's going to happen in the future, so I guess we might as well take advantage of that. What did you have in mind?"

"Anything you believe appropriate and any way I can." Steve glanced down before looking back up. "I’ll even fight, if I need to."

Bucky blew out a breath. "And how do we know we can depend on you, Stevie? You've left me with some abandonment issues, and this is our one last shot to get it right."

Standing still as he listened, Tony watched Rogers' body language, saw the earnestness in his eyes and the nervousness in the clasp of his hands. The Steve Rogers Tony had known had not been able to be in the same room as him since the data dump he and Romanov had pulled off, when he'd apparently learned about his parents and the Winter Soldier. He'd been around, stayed at the Tower and the Compound, but had never sought him out, during that period of time, the guilt apparently eating at him. This Steve Rogers appeared to be open and sincere, nothing like the judgmental, tenacious, and righteous bastard Tony had dealt with on the helicarrier.

"How do you think we could make a difference?" Tony asked, genuinely interested.

"Well, I would pull the young me out of the ice as soon as possible," Rogers told him decisively. "I’d been out of the ice less than two weeks before I was thrown into the battle in New York. For me, I simply traded one war for another, even though the technology was baffling and the enemy very different." He looked between the men. "It would have been helpful if I’d been able to assimilate into the future a little better before I had to face all that. The overwhelming feeling of isolation is what led to many of my less-than-stellar decisions."

Tony rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. "And from what Bucky said, SHIELD didn’t make any of what you tried to do, easy for you."

Rogers shook his head. "I’ve had years to analyze all the interactions we had with SHIELD and Fury, leading me to the conclusion that I owed you so many apologies, Tony, from being an ass when we first met, to ignoring your pleas to be cautious of SHIELD, and then, about your parents— "

"Wait!" Bucky looked between Tony and Rogers. "Wouldn't that cause a time paradox?"

Staring at Bucky for a moment, quantum relativity formulas and time theory spinning in his mind as Tony contemplated the question. Would it worsen the rifts in the fabric of time to bring the frozen Rogers to where old Rogers was? Was a paradox responsible for causing the fracturing of time the stones had mentioned?

Torn between wanting to believe Rogers and the trust issues he had with the man he'd known before, Tony stared at the bookcase in the corner as his mind whirled. A sparkle of green light appeared and seemed to dance over the top of the books.

-We won't abandon you- The stones had said. Could this be a sign the Time stone approved?

"Tones? Was that something you came across when you were delving into the quantum realm while you figured out the Time Heist?" Rhodey asked, his eyes still focused on Rogers.

Shaking his head to clear it, his mind went over what he'd just seen as well as the different factors he'd debated during his calculation. "No, but only because the time we were to spend in the past was at most a couple hours, therefore not enough time to warp the spatial region." Tony made a decision. "He's been in this time with another Steve for nearly sixty-four years, so there is no danger of him colliding with his past self on accident. I think we should at least let him try to help."

Rhodey pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a long, exasperated sigh.

"What if we just put him back in the ice?" Bucky whispered.

Snorting, Tony lifted his left hand up, halting the discussion. "There might be something to that thought, Mancherian canidate, but we need to take it a step at a time." He glanced at Rogers. "It would require everyone agreeing before anything could be done."

Rogers just gave a nod, looking between Tony and Bucky.

"Since you came back in time, have you had any significant physical changes, aside from the—" Tony waved a hand up and down Rogers’ body, "you know, the getting old thing?"

"Yes," Steve admitted. "Some elements of the Serum seem to have been reversed. I can get sick and don’t heal as quickly with physical injuries, although my strength is still about the same."

"The Time stone’s revenge for remaining in the past?" Bucky suggested, looking at Steve.

"Or maybe the Space stone," Rhodey proposed. "Howard’s Vita-Ray machine was based on gamma rays similar to the Tesseract energy signature."

"Perhaps, or maybe it just lost its effectiveness over the years," Tony suggested, turning slowly as his eyes swept the lab. "Makes me wonder if the rift in time also has to do with that knock-down drag-out fight you had at the Tower with yourself, Rogers. Did telling 2012 Steve Rogers about Bucky still being alive alter our own future?"

"Oh, for fuck’s sake!" Bucky and Rhodey said in unison and Tony refused to look at the two.

Rogers looked stricken at his words. "I was always more concerned about what I said to Sitwell and how that could impact the future."

Tony sighed, idly wander how many different theoretic time streams Rogers alone had created, and moved to the bookshelf in the back of the lab. There were several of the journal-type notebooks Tony remembered Howard had used to make notes in. There were also a number of textbooks on relativity, quantum physics, and theoretic time travel. There were a couple of Hank Pym’s books, as well as nonfiction books on the Howling Commandos, World War II, Captain America, and HYDRA. Tony felt a shiver run down his spine.

Half-listening to Rhodey and Bucky’s continued questioning of Rogers, Tony selected one of the journals and took it out. Flipping open the cover, he saw it was labeled with the number three. He returned it and pulled out the first one on the shelf, opening it the first page, dated April 8th 1970, and started with a note at the top.

Son,

I will go out on a limb and assume for some reason you invented time travel sometime in the 2020s.

Just so you know, your mother was delighted with the sauerkraut, flowers, and candle-light dinner. After a nice foot rub, she’s tucked into bed, still insisting you are a girl.

It does concern me that something so dire has happened in the future, you would take the chance to come back in time and take the Tesseract – and yet, it was back when I got here this morning. SHIELD has been trying to get me to create weapons from the cube, but I am actually trying to find a way to harness the power in it as an energy source. It seems to be self-generating and could be the answer to a less-polluting way to provide electricity.

Your reassurances did help calm my nerves; however, your phasing made it sound as if I hadn’t lived long enough to meet my granddaughter. I sincerely hope I was a good father to you, made sure you knew how much I loved you, and spent the time with you that you made reference to.

I’m not sure when you will discover this bookshelf, but when you do, the journals are for you. They detail all my research into a vast number of subjects I have created or projects I have been a part of developing. Some of these projects should never have been created, perhaps you can prevent their development in your time.

It is also very apparent now, that Grant Carter is actually Steven Grant Rogers. I went over to Peggy’s after discovering the Tesseract was back, to try and confirm he knew about time travel, but he refused to discuss it. I suspect right now there are actually two Steve Rogers in this time period, proving my theory that the Super Soldier Serum would have kept him alive went he ditched the Valkyrie. I plan to double my efforts to find him, so I can finish this new iteration of the serum and deliver it to SHIELD – I don’t want to be involved in any more dealings with Arnim Zolar. If I can prefect it, I plan on giving you a dose, to ensure you have the best chance of surviving whatever is coming in the future.

I’ll update as time passes.

Love, Dad

"Tony?" Rhodey was at his side, an arm around his waist to support him. "You were swaying, are you alright?"

Taking a deep breath, Tony pushed his swirling thoughts to the back of his mind, and attempted a smile. "I will be, Honey Bear, I will be."

JARVIS had sent a message to the others requesting a meeting over dinner as they drove back from the mansion. They'd moved Steve’s SUV into the garage to put it out of sight, leaving several lights on in the mansion as well. Tony had gathered up all his father’s journals as well as a unfamiliar lockbox from the vault in the laboratory floor. While he didn’t know what was inside, Tony knew the vault was the most secure Howard had. Bucky had literally ridden back to the penthouse with his gun in hand, despite Tony’s eye roll.

They parked in the private section of the underground garage and took everything upstairs with them. Tony allowed Rhodey to carry the lockbox as he gathered Howard’s journals into his arms, Bucky still on guard duty. No one said a word as they ascended the elevator, but Tony noticed Steve shifted nervously. He hid a smirk, having a feeling that neither Pepper or Peter would be very welcoming to the man. The doors parted to an empty foyer and Bucky took the lead, gun still in hand, but down by his side.

"Dad! I figured out the web formula—"

Peter's shout was the first thing he heard as Tony stepped into the penthouse. "Excellent, Underoos! Come help me with these journals, please."

Peter ran toward them from the living room, stumbling to a stop as he saw Steve at the back of the group. His expression changed into a glower and Tony hid a smirk as both he and Bucky both took one step to the side. Steve's eyes widen as he recognized Peter, but he squared his shoulders and continued to walk forward.

"Peter, it's good to see you," Steve said softly, with a slight smile. "Remember, it’s a crime to punch the elderly."

Tony snorted as Peter crossed his arms over his chest, Pepper coming up behind him, mirroring his stance.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Carter. If you'll join us in the living room."

Tony waited until Pepper escorted Steve into the room, before handing Peter half the journals and heading into his bedroom. They piled the books on the top of the dresser, before Tony took Peter's hand and returned to the living room. Bucky was in the process of introducing Grant to Ben, while Rhodey was rummaging in the refrigerator. Tony sat on the couch next to Pepper, with Peter sitting between Tony and May, Ben 0on her other side. Steve settled into an armchair, hands folded in his lap, and a contrite look on his face. Rhodey returned with an armful of bottles of water, that he put on the coffee table before taking a stool at the kitchen island with Happy. Bucky leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

All eyes were on the man in the armchair,

Tony opened his mouth to speak and immediately closed it as he took in the impressive look on Peter's face – one that promised retribution if Grant stepped out of line. As he watched, the two made eye contact and Tony was surprised when the older man leaned forward and spoke softly.

"I want to help; Peter and I promise I won't do anything that would hurt any of your family."

"Do you swear?" Peter asked fiercely.

"I'll make an Unbreakable Vows, Queens."

Peter, Ben, May, and Tony all snorted, Rhodey grinned and Pepper rolled her eyes. Bucky had a look of puzzlement, while Happy ignored them all, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It’s okay, Uncle Bucky, I’ll read the books with you," Peter offered, before looking back at Ste—Grant. "I’ll take that vow."

"We all will, Peter," Pepper agreed, her eyes never leaving Grant’s face. "Tony and Bucky believe you can help us with this second chance, help us correct what went wrong the first time around."

"Yes, ma’am, I’ll do whatever I can to help you."

"I’d more like to hear a promise from you that you won’t do anything which might put one of my family in danger or keep secrets from us. You have already done that, before," Pepper stated in a deadly tone.

"I swear on my life, Mrs. Stark," Steve stated quietly. "I’ve had over sixty years to think about everything I was responsible for last time. Sixty years to regret the actions I took that hurt others, particularly in my single-minded selfishness, especially Tony, Bucky, and you. Plus, it sounds like I was at least partially responsible for the circumstances you find yourselves in now."

Tony opened his mouth to jump it, but a look from his wife made him reconsider.

"So, you will agree to invasive oversight, them, Mr. Carter?"

Pepper was so much better at intimidation Tony decided, keeping his face carefully neutral as even Winter Wonder was still glaring at the former Captain America.

"Yes, ma’am." Carter answered, back stiff and straight.

"Good, Mr. Carter, as things are moving fast and we don’t have the time to play games with you or your loyalty. And we will be talking about your financials at some point."

Tony’s blood ran cold. "What happened, Pep?"

Her gaze was much warmer as Pepper turned toward him. " JARVIS redirected the call from the search vessel while you were at the mansion. They are about three hours out from where the satellite pinged."

His stomach suddenly full of butterflies, Tony took a deep breath and nodded. "All right, Rhodey and I can suit-up and be there by the time the ship is over the site. When do you need to check back in, Platypus?"

"Not until Monday morning in DC," Rhodey answered. "What about setting up the office as a miniature med bay. May?"

May had her Starkphone in hand. "The hospital bed is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, but the rest of the equipment is already in the room. Ben and Peter can help me with that, so we should be ready in a couple days."

"Good," Tony's mind was swirling. "We all have to make sure we call Grant here by the correct name or things will get a bit dicey. He can have one of the rooms on the floor below, with Happy and Rhodey, as we're going to put Rogers in Bucky's room." He looked up at Bucky to get his ascent.

"Yeah, at least to start with," Bucky answered, running a hand through his hair. "Everyone needs to remember, for Steve, it's only been about a week since I fell from the train and hours since he crashed a plane into the ice."

Grant nodded as he listened. "Also need to start him out slowly with food. SHIELD fed me microwavable prepackaged meals, initially, which nauseated me more than anything."

"So, boiled cabbage and beans, then?" Bucky suggested, an eyebrow raised.

"Ugh!" Steve spluttered. "I still hate boiled cabbage!"

Tony saw the smirk Bucky was trying to hide.

"Let's not forget that Stane is still at large, with no sightings of him since he was in Russia last week," Happy reminded them.

"Actually, Mr. Hogan, I do have an update on the fugitive."

"Go ahead, JARVIS."

"CCTV footage from two hours ago at the airport in Gomel, Belarus. A confirmed sighting of Stane as he changed planes. I am endeavoring to find documentation of the plane's flight plan."

"Thanks, J. Keep us updated." Tony rubbed his hand over his face. "Pepper?"

"Construction will start in earnest on the Tower next week. The Expo committee is working on the Stark Expo for next year and I have PR working out the details for the first Kids Camp up on the grounds of the Compound in June."

Tony nodded as he listened, mentally checking things off his list. "Which is a perfect excuse to clear the land and demolish the old warehouses. Let's use the new polymer fabric Pete helped create to make the temporary tent structures – it’ll give the military a chance to take a look at them as potential temporary housing units."

"I have a security crew lined up to clear the warehouses of any old ordnance or military prototypes which might have been shipped up there," Happy added. "I'll get them going tomorrow."

"Have them keep any eye out for recent visitors," Bucky interjected. "Based on what we've discovered of Howard's activities, it could even have been utilized by SHIELD or HYDRA."

"Uncle Bucky?" Peter spoke up. "I know about the HYDRA base in Siberia, but was that the only place they kept you?"

Bucky blinked, his eyes going distance for a moment. "For a long time, yes. However, there were several other facilities over the years, and sometime – right before the Stark Expo, I think – I was moved to DC at Pierce's direction, in the basement of the Ideal Federal Savings Bank."

"We should probably map out the HYDRA facilities that do you remember, Buck, including any safehouses," Rhodey agreed as Pepper made a note on her StarkPad. "If we could quietly compromise them now, we wouldn't have to worry about them later."

"And no data dump this time around!" Tony muttered, not looking up to see Grant's reaction. "We'll need to see if we can data mine any information we might find at those HYDRA facilities."

"We should probably find a military or law enforcement source we can trust and turn the safehouses over them," Bucky told them, a grime look on his face. "Most have stockpiles of weapons, false identification papers, and cash."

"Let me work on that," Ben chimed in. "I have a friend at the FBI, who's on the Joint Terrorism Task Force here in New York."

"Trustworthy?" Tony questioned, looking over at him.

Ben blew out a breath. "I hope so, but I'll have JARVIS check him out."

"Sounds good," Tony answered, his attention switching to the logistics of recovering of Steve Rogers.

"Food first, hero squad," Pepper ordered. "We are all going to have a busy few days."

"No one go anywhere alone," Happy gave each of them a look as he stood up. "Stane is on the move and has HYDRA in his pocket."

"Especially you, spiderling," Tony said softly, giving Peter his best Dad look. "Even if you have your powers, you are still in an eight-year-old body, and I know we'd all be devastated if something happened to you."

"That goes for everyone," Pepper set her tablet down on the coffee table, meeting Tony's eyes. "We have the luxury of time and knowledge; there is no need to take any chances. Listen to your intuition and 'Spidey sense', please."

The ding of the timer in the kitchen signaled dinner was ready.

Chapter Text

By the time Rhodey reported back to duty in Washington DC Monday morning, a list of HYDRA facilities and safe houses in his pocket, along with the name of a trusted FBI agent to go with it, Steve Rogers was defrosting in the penthouse. May was monitoring the equipment when Tony stepped into the room, his second cup of coffee in his hand. They had him on a heated mattress pad, set to low, and a light down blanket over him; the goal to slowly warm his body, instead of just allowing him to thaw, as Tony suspected SHIELD had done. May smiled when she saw him but didn’t stop as she noted down Rogers’ vitals, checking the IVs and noting his temperature.

Tony studied the man’s pale face, the monitor pinging a slow, but steady heartbeat. When they had found him, the only indication he was alive was the small amount of fresh blood around a wound on his temple. The best way May could describe his state was something like hibernation; when they measured his heartbeat initially at was a beat a minute. Bucky wasn’t certain, but he thought he’d been told at some point that his cryo readings were at four beats a minute. Rogers certainly didn’t look any older than the twenty-seven he was when he went into the ice, whereas they figure Bucky appeared closer to thirty. Grant had been quiet as he watched this alter-ego being wheeled in the night before, an unreadable expression on his face. Tony knew he and Bucky had gone over the list of possible changes his returning to the past might have had and JARVIS had recorded the list to cross-reference with their overall timeline.

May walked over, a tablet in her hand. "According to what I've been able to put together, at the current rate of warming, he should wake up in about three days or approximately sixty-five hours."

"Oddly specific," Tony quipped with a smile and laughed when May rolled her eyes. "JARVIS, make a note, please."

"Of course, Sir."

"Thanks, J." Tony stood with May, looking around the room. "Seems kind of creepy to just stand around and watch him thaw, doesn't it?"

May arched an eyebrow at him. "Then don't be creepy, Stark. I'm sure you have other, more constructive things you could be doing."

Tony was saved from answering by the door opening and Peter bouncing in. Bucky and Grant followed him, making the room seem suddenly small. Quiet greetings were exchanged and Peter leaned against Tony's leg as the newcomers were given the short update on Rogers' status.

"Is there anything—" Grant's question was interrupted by a golden ring forming in the air near the door.

Tony pushed Peter behind him as Bucky stepped between the anomaly and May. A slim bald-headed woman, dressed in flowing yellow robes, stepped through, a bland look on her face. Tony relaxed a little when he recognized the portal as the same type Strange had made and stepped toward her.

"Good morning—"

"Dr. Stark," she began before pausing and sweeping the room with her eyes, but pointedly ignoring the frozen man. "I am known as the Ancient One. I am also the Sorcerer Supreme and I've been sent here by the Time Stone."

The stone gleamed brightly in the pendent around her neck. May looked taken back with her arrival while the men and Peter groaned, Grant starring at the Ancient One.

"Where are you hiding Strange?" Tony asked as he moved closer, on high alert at the knowledge Strange's predecessor seemed to have.

The Ancient One gave him an unimpressed look. "You're about seven years too early for Steven Strange. He is not yet a Master of the Mystic Arts." She focused her attention on Grant. "Mr. Carter, I've been sent here by the Infinity Stones to make you a proposition."

Her words gave Tony a start, but as he looked closer, he could see the multiple colors of the stones sparkling around her robes. Something calmed in him and he took a deep breath. She was the guardian of the Time Stone and probably had the ability to look into various futures as Strange had.

Grant straightened and met her eyes. "A proposition?"

"Yes, one which would help repair the integrity of the timestream," she told him in a flat voice. "My understanding is these people around you have been brought back in time to stop the destruction of the universe."

Tony stiffened further at that statement, his eyes narrowing on the Ancient One as Peter moved up beside him. The Eye of Agamotto seemed to open slightly, the green light sparkling over them and Tony's eyes darted up to catch the expression on the woman's face softening a touch.

"Yes, ma'am."

She looked around at the others in the room, before her eyes settled on Tony. "I'm aware sacrifices were made and my successor attempted to help when Spiderman sought him out, but by then the damage had been done." Her eyes shifted back to Grant. "The younger version of yourself is a clean slate. He will wake up in a foreign world, confused and disoriented, even if his best friend is here to greet him. He may make different choices than you did; choices which ultimately led you to a trip in time, one which helped disrupt the stream of time."

Tony shifted so he could see the older man and wasn't surprised by the wariness on his face. He gestured for the Ancient One to continue.

"If you would like to help this team of people to save the universe, the Time Stone is offering to reunify you with this Steve Rogers before he wakes. The Mind Stone has offered to undo the damage done to your mind by the one who held his power—"

"Maximoff!" Tony whispered, his eyes widening as he looked at Grant.

"But Wanda—" Grant stuttered.

The Ancient One held up her hand, her face serious. "Did you truly believe she did not assault your mind as she did with each of your team mates?"

His stomach rolled with a wave of nausea as Tony swung his gaze between Grant and the Sorcerer Supreme, the implication of what was being said a punch to the gut. Bucky looked on stoically, his face a frozen mask, and Tony could only assume he was remembering Steve's fervent defense of Wanda.

The Ancient One gave Grant a pointed look. "Tell me, Grant, what really prompted you to return to the past and stay there? And when did you begin to think this was what you deserved, despite anyone else's opinion? To leave the best friend you had just gotten back?"

Grant paled as he listened and Tony felt his jaw drop. He remembered the mess he'd been with the nightmare Wanda had put into his head. The violent night terrors, the feelings of inadequacy, and other compulsive behaviors. She'd messed with all of their minds, shut Natasha and Thor down, and set the Hulk off on a rampage. How could he have forgotten Steve and what she might have put in his mind?

"What are the benefits of saying yes?" Grant asked softly.

"You will wake up here, with a clear mind and all your memories of both lives you have lived, the alternate timeline you lived will be eliminated, and this timeline returned to what it was originally destined to be."

"And if I say no?"

The Ancient One's face never changed from its placid expression. "The Space Stone will remove the last of its enhancements over the serum you were given. You will die naturally."

"And what Tony, Bucky, and the rest are trying to do? How will it impact their effort?"

"You remaining here, in this form, would complicate the possibility of success."

"Can you remove what…whatever Wanda did to me?"

The Ancient One studied his face before giving him a short nod. Her hands came up, golden energy circling them as she placed them on either side of Grant's face. He stiffened as a web of sparkling yellow surrounded his head, leaching a familiar red swirl out. Tony still had red tinged nightmares up until the Time Heist. The sorcerer stepped back, arms falling loosely at her side as they all watched Grant, his eyes closed, swaying slightly. Bucky jumped forward and steadied his old friend with a hand on his shoulder.

"Son of a bitch!"

The expletive was whispered in a hoarse voice as Grant grabbed at his head with both hands and Tony was tempted to admonish him for his language before he clamped his lips down on the word. A throwback quip to the days when he'd considered Steve Rogers his friend wasn't appropriate at the moment. Bucky's eyes were alight with amusement, seeming to know what Tony wanted to say, but both of them stayed silent. It took several long minutes for Grant to processes whatever new information and realizations had just been discovered.

Lifting his head, he looked at Bucky and then Tony, profound sadness in his eyes. "I am so sorry," he said, his voice breaking at the end. "I didn't realize—I never knew she put those visions in my head."

Peter shifted beside him, and Tony reached down to take his hand. Eight-year-old Peter continued to have nightmares of the universe ripping apart around him.

"Your choice, Mr. Carter?"

Grant's face was pale and his hands clasped together tightly. Tony's breath hitched in his chest as he contemplated the choice Grant had been given: die or return to his younger body as they all had and be able to help them. One would be at the cost of the life he lived with Peggy, in order to return to the original timestream. He exchanged a glance with Bucky; they both knew how stubborn Steve Rogers could be.

Grant stood tall as he faced the Ancient One. "I will go back, so I can help everyone."

She gave him a nod, her hands already coming up, circled by golden energy which expanded and covered Grant. The energy seemed to gain threads of green as the Eye of Agamotto opened and the energy field moved to cover the thawing figure of Steve Rogers. Bright yellow entwining with the green strands as the energy sunk into Steve, like a lacy blanket covering him. The energy flared and Tony blinked his eyes to clear the residual spots of light.

Grant Carter was gone, as was the Sorcerer Supreme.

May immediately spun toward Steve and checked his vitals, while Bucky moved to stand next to Tony and Peter. Tony's mind was spinning as he tried to speculate on the how this latest surprise would impact the plans they had been meticulously constructing. At least it meant they didn't have to worry about what Steve might have changed in the past, he thought, or hoped. Timelines just gave him a headache.

"Well, all his vitals spiked at the time of the, er, transfer, but have settled back down." May looked up. "His heart rate is up to four beats a minute, which means an accelerated rate of thawing."

"How does that impact when he will wake up?" Tony asked.

May gave him a small smile. "Shortened it a bit – probably forty-five hours now."

"All right, then we'll get out of your hair," Tony told her and tugged on Peter's hand. "Come on, snowflake, I'm sure we can keep the spiderling occupied until lunch."

He ignored Bucky's eye rolling at the nickname and led the way down to the lab he had set up on the floor below. He poured himself another cup of coffee and grabbed an apple juice from the mini refrigerator for Peter, before he sat down on his work stool. Peter took the juice with a murmured thanks and jumped up to sit on the still clean work bench, while Bucky settled onto one of the spare stools. Tony took a deep sip of coffee to stall for a moment until he decided on what he wanted to say.

"JARVIS, can you run a search for a Grant Carter, please – vital documents and connections to SI."

The AI was silent for a long moment, before replaying. "I find no records for Grant Carter, sir. In fact, all the current records show Peggy Carter married Daniel Sousa in 1949 and had two children with him."

Tony felt his eyes widen as he took in what JARVIS was saying. Grant Carter had been erased from the timeline, just as the Ancient One had said. Tony looked at Bucky, but it was Peter who spoke first.

"Jeez, just when I think I've gotten an understanding of this time stuff, something impossible happens!"

"You're not kidding, squirt," Bucky agreed, shaking his head. "What does that mean for Steve when he wakes up?"

Both Bucky and Peter looked at him and Tony grimaced as he knew that was the question of the day. "Well, just based on what Glinda told Grant, this Steve should wake up with all his memories intact."

"But does that mean just his original timeline? Or will he also remember the timeline he lived before he went back to in time after the Final Battle?" Bucky rubbed his flesh hand over his face. "And are the original timeline memories as clear as ours are?"

"I wonder what the Mind Stone took out of his mind?" Peter added thoughtfully. "And how much did those images affect the way he acted after Sokovia?"

"All great questions, but we won't know until he wakes up, I guess," Tony responded, his right hand coming up to tap on his arc reactor. "Grant seems to have ceased to exist, but will the journals we took from Howard's lab have changed, too?"

"Hopefully, some of that bull—uh, stuff he did, might have been because of her." Peter crossed his arms over his chest with a frown.

Bucky grinned at Peter's almost swearing. "I don't know, Queens. Stevie was already doing bullshit at your age, so some of that stuff just came natural to him."

Grinning at that, Tony was tempted to rattle off some of the personality traits he'd seen with Steve Rogers over the years, like stubborn, snap-judgements, unforgiving, and several others, but he bit his tongue. Bucky caught his look and shook his head.

"When we grew up together, Steve was a sickly kid, asthmatic, and yet the most mouthy, stubborn, reckless idiot I've ever known. All those traits were still present in the Steve I got to know in the short time I was out of cryo in Wakanda." He took a deep breath. "But the Steve I remember was self-sacrificing, would never have used someone else's money for his own purposes, or have lied, either to your face or by omission. He had courage to spare and would always fight for the little guy. There were definitely some fundamental changes to the Steve who tracked me down in Romania."

Tony nodded his head. "Yeah, I wonder how he'll be when he wakes up," he commented. "But, in hindsight, Steve was different after the Strucker mission, at least toward me." He shook his head. "I thought it had to do with the glowstick of destiny being in the lab, but now – it was after we'd all been mind-raped by the witch."

"Sir, Mrs. Stark has brought lunch to the kitchen and is suggesting you relocate there," JARVIS announced.

Tony immediately stood up. "All right you two, we always answer a summons from Pepper in a timely manner, especially if she has brought food!"

Bucky smirked and Peter snickered as they followed him out of the lab and up to the kitchen. Happy and Ben were already seated at the table, working on deli-style sandwiches, a mountain of food sitting in front of them. Tony caught the name on the box sitting on the kitchen counter.

"You went to Carnegie's!" Tony practically yelled as he shot toward the box. "Tell me you got my favorite, Pep!"

Standing on the other side of the box, a pastrami sandwich in one hand, Pepper stepped back with a laugh as the other hand covered her mouth. Tony wrapped his arms around her and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. Bucky took advantage of his distraction and embraced the box.

"I had Carnegie's once," Bucky said in a soft voice. "My da took me in just before I shipped off to basic training."

A profound look of sadness passed over the man's face and Tony's heart went out to him. He'd lost so much due to HYDRA's evil manipulations. He gave Pepper another squeeze, before letting her go to pat Bucky on the shoulder and pry the box out of his arms.

"Come on, Buckster, don't hog the box—"

"Thank you, Pepper," Bucky told her sincerely, as he watched Tony pull the box open and line sandwiches up on the island, pausing only to hand Bucky a pastrami sandwich as big as Peter's head.

Pepper gave him a soft smile. "It was my pleasure, and I sort of had a craving for pastrami."

Tony's head snapped up at her phrasing and she gave him a sight shrug of the shoulders, but it wasn't a no. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, but kept quiet as she gave him a slight shake of her head. They would talk later and he couldn't help but hope it meant Morgan was on her way back to them.

"Where's Grant?" Happy asked, looking around.

Tony chose his own sandwich, grabbing two hot dogs and a knish for Peter, and followed Pepper to the table. "Well, we had a rather interesting morning, actually."

He settled beside his wife and began to unwrap the corned beef sandwich. "JARVIS, will you check with Rhodey and see if he has a minute for a call?"

"Do we need to get May?" Ben asked, between bites of knish.

"Naw, she was there," Tony told him, taking a bite of his sandwich. "We have to take her down a sandwich, though."

"Sir, Colonel Rhodes is available," JARVIS announced as Rhodey appeared on a large holographic screen.

"I've only been gone a couple hours, Tones, you can't miss me already." Tony saw Rhodey's eyes narrow. "Is that Carnegie's?"

Tony waved his hand. "See what you miss when you abandon us!"

Peter grinned. "I'll save you a sandwich, Uncle Rhodey!"

"And that's why I like you the best, Pete!" Rhodey grinned at him. "Now, what's up?"

"Are your comms secure, Honey Bear?"

"I'm in the suit, Tony, so yes."

Tony set his sandwich down carefully, taking a sip of the soda he was sharing with Peter. "I was in the defrosting room with May this morning, when Peter, Bucky, and Grant came in. Just as May was getting ready to kick us all out, a portal opened into the room—"

"Fu-dge!" Rhodey caught himself. "Strange came back?"

"No," Bucky interjected. "The wizard's predecessor."

"The Ancient One," Tony continued. "Said she'd been sent by the Stones to offer Grant a do-over, of sorts. She had the Time Stone in that necklace Strange used to wear, and I could see the energy from the Mind Stone sparkling around her."

"She just handed him another chance at life?" Ben questioned, his tone disbelieving.

Tony shook his head, sliding another knish over toward Peter. "She told him he had a choice of staying with us to help, and dying pretty quickly, or go back into his younger body and be able to really be part of saving the universe. The cost was the timeline he'd lived with Peggy – it would be wiped out, like it never happened."

"But didn't they have children?" Pepper asked, pushing her partially eaten knish toward Tony. "And, I don't know, grandchildren?"

"My guess is the timeline will revert back to the original one we remember, where Peggy marries her SHIELD partner and has two children with him."

"And he took it?" Happy pulled the dessert box over to himself, and opened it.

"Without much hesitation, even," Tony confirmed, pulling some of the corned beef out of the middle of his sandwich and popping it in his mouth. Pepper elbowed him and he swallowed before adding. "Surprised me a bit."

"Didn't surprise me," Bucky muttered, finishing up his second sandwich.

"What do you mean?" Happy asked as he set out different kinds of cheese cakes slices on the top of the island.

Folding his hands in front of him, Bucky sighed. "Steve has always been a stubborn a-arse and once he had it in his mind that Peggy Carter was his one true love, he'd have done anything to have a life with her. But—" he stopped abruptly and looked at them. "They'd never had a date. I mean, yeah, Steve had a big crush on Peggy, yet he told me all about the fun he'd had with the girls on the USO tour." He sighed again. "Truthfully, I wouldn't be surprised if his actions were a result of whatever the witch put into his head, because the Steve I knew would have had issues being relegated to the role of stay-at-home dad."

"Does seem out of character," Pepper agreed, taking the slice of cheesecake Happy set-in front of her. "Thanks, Happy."

"So, you're telling me Grant Carter ceased to exist this morning and when Rogers awakes, he'll be the original Steve with all his memories intact."

"Got it in one, platypus," Tony confirmed. "I'm not sure if it would have been easier to deal with two of them or this new two-in-one variety."

"I guess all we can do is wait and see," Pepper said, effectively ending the conversation for the time being.

Ben and Peter left to take May lunch and Happy accompanied Pepper back to her SI office. They had decided for the time being, all the men would carry sidearms, at least until Tony could replicate the watch gauntlet for each of them. Bucky followed Tony down to the small lab to get some work done. JARVIS' servers had been installed and Tony needed another scan of Bucky's arm before he could start fabricating a replacement.

"All right, soldier boy, sit down on the stool, put your arm on the bench, and let JARVIS scan your arm." Tony grabbed his rolling chair and joined him, staying far enough back not to interfere with the readings.

Bucky followed his instructions, sitting absolutely still as JARVIS ran scans on both the arm and his shoulder. Tony pulled up a holographic display as soon as JARVIS had processed the scan.

"We'll start synthesizing Starkanium as soon as we can, which will lighten up the weight considerably," Tony told him excitedly, his eyes on the way the hydraulics and relays moved the arms, "We can slim it down as well, so it looks more natural, but it'll be stronger—"

Tony stopped when he realized Bucky wasn't responding and turned to see Bucky staring at a point in the distance. "Bucky?"

The man's head jerked up and Bucky looked startled for a moment, before giving Tony a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

Smiling, Tony just shook his head. "Don't worry about it, snowflake, I tend to babble at the best of times."

Bucky gave him a lopsided grin. "Yeah, you do, but that's okay – I like listening to you."

"You have low life expectations, Barnes," Tony proclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "You were frowning, though. Want to share?"

Bucky took a deep breath and then lifted his eyes to meet Tony's. "Will you show me the arc reactor? I want to check for something."

Freezing, Tony met the earnest eyes.

Bucky seemed to recognize his reaction. "I just want to see if there is a way we can lock down the reactor, so no one can pull it out. Like you told us about."

Tony hesitated for a moment, Bucky sitting patiently, waiting for him to decide. With a slow nod, Tony stood from his chair and pulled his tee-shirt off. He resisted the impulse to cover his chest with his hands. Tony was by no means modest, but he knew the scarring on his chest and abdomen was terrible. Bucky slowly stood up and took a step closer, his eyes focused on the device embedded in Tony's chest.

Bucky lifted his flesh hand. "May I?"

Swallowing hard, Tony nodded his head, wadding his shirt up in his hands. Keeping his movements slow, Bucky ran a finger along the rim of the reactor, and under the rim next to Tony's skin.

"JARVIS, can you run a scan of the casing and how it sits in Tony's chest, please?" Bucky asked, still focused on Tony's chest. "Specifically for the measurement of a locking device to go over the rim without being cumbersome."

"Of course, Mr. Barnes."

Concentrating on his breathing, Tony watched JARVIS' scanner ran across his chest as Bucky took a step back. When Tony looked up, Bucky had stripped of his own shirt, the scars around the shoulder section of his metal arm as bad as Tony's chest. They were red and ropey, and Tony wondered if Bucky was dealing with daily pain, like he did when trying to take a deep breath. Tony moved closer; his own shirt forgotten.

"Fucking butchers!" Tony spat as he examined the edge of where the metal arm started. "I'm pretty sure Helen Cho's cradle will be able to help, but she's about five years in the future. Maybe a call to Strange would help."

"The sorcerer?" Bucky looked skeptical.

"Well, Gandalf is an accomplished neurosurgeon at the moment." Tony twirled his fingers at Bucky and he rolled his eyes before he turned to look at the hologram again.

"What else is bothering you, Bucky-bear?" Tony asked as he looked at where the metal was fused to Bucky's skin. "You've been quiet since the Ancient One was here this morning."

Bucky let out a woosh of a breath as Tony stepped closer and ran his fingers over the plates that made up the shoulder of his prosthetic, looking for the maintenance flap that would allow him to gain access. He knew Bucky sometimes needs a little longer to order his thoughts.

"Did you think it was a little strange, how fast Grant agreed to erase the timeline with Peggy?" Bucky asked as he looked over his shoulder at Tony.

Tony frowned, his fingers finding and popping out the maintenance plate. "I guess I assumed he took what we told him about the damage his staying in the past had done, but didn't they have a couple of kids?"

"Steve couldn't father children," Bucky said quietly. "He told me he had a vasectomy not too long after the battle in New York. Apparently, someone told him about all the attempts to recreate the Super Solider Serum and he was afraid any children he might father would be in danger."

"Well, he's not wrong," Tony admitted, gently closing the access plate. "Erskine's formula plus Howard's Vita-Ray machine changed Rogers down to his DNA. He still raised two children with Peggy."

"True, which is one of the things I don't understand." Bucky took a step away and pulled his shirt back on.

Tony followed his example and smoothed his shirt down over the reactor. "Jarvis, do we have enough Starkanium to fabricate a locking device for the arc reactor."

"Yes, Sir, as soon as you draw up the specifications."

Bucky sat heavily on stool, rubbing his flesh hand over his face. Tony watched him as he pulled up JARVIS' suggestions for a locking ring to fit over the reactor. The diagrams for several different designs appeared, floating alongside Bucky's new arm.

"Do you remember who Peggy brought in when she formed her own team for SHIELD?"

Nodding, Tony spun on of the designs around. "Several of the Howling Commandos, didn't she?"

"Yeah, Dum Dum, Jim, and Pinky, at least," Bucky looked at him. "Every one of them would have recognized Steve in a heartbeat, which meant, like Howard, he would have needed to stay away from them." He shook his head. "Steve knew what he was facing when he went back, so I think he would have made the most of it – comfortable, if not exactly happily-ever-after, I think."

Tony turned around and gave Bucky his full attention. "So, do we need to be prepared for a depressed Steve or one who is relieved to be back?"

Bucky gave him a look, before shrugging. "I guess we'll figure that out when he wakes up, but I'm hoping he will remember everything, be a bit more helpful, and a little less fucking stubborn!"

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see then, I guess," Tony admitted. "Anything would be better than the first time he woke up. We can ease him into the future without—"

Bucky gave him a knowing look. "A stick up his ass?"

Grinning, Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on, snowflake, help me pick a design."

The R&D meeting was just winding up two days later, when Tony's phone vibrated in his pocket. He was in the executive conference room at Stark Industries New York, his first meeting in the office since the move. Tony had spent the morning touring the labs and asking for suggestions on the designs for the laboratories in the Tower. It had been an enlightening experience and Tony had forgotten the time as he'd thrown ideas around with the scientists and interns. Now, everyone was headed to the St. Louis BBQ ribs feast in the cafeteria Tony had flown in for lunch.

Tony stepped to one side as the employees filed out of the room; Bucky glued to his side. When the room was empty, he reached into his pocket for his phone.

"Sir?" JARVIS spoke as soon as Tony lifted it.

"Yeah, J? Is everything okay?"

"Mrs. Parker would like both of you to return to the penthouse as soon as possible."

"Tell Happy we'll be at the garage elevator in two minutes."

"Done, Sir," JARVIS replied. "And Mr. Hogan said to assure you he has sufficient ribs for everyone, even Mr. Barnes."

"Smart ass," Bucky muttered as he held the door for Tony to walk out of.

"Tell him he is an amazing human being, J."

Bucky snorted as he escorted Tony to the private elevator near Pepper's office, waving at her PA, Tiffany, as they walked by. Happy was waiting with a Lincoln town car and a smug look as he held open the door for Tony. Bucky went around the other side, sliding into the front passenger side, looking back to make sure Tony had bucketed his seatbelt. Tony just grinned at him, not for the first time wondering if this was the Bucky Barnes who was such a mother hen to a scrawny Steve Rogers before the serum.

Of all the people who had been sent back to help Tony on this second chance, Bucky had been the biggest surprise. He was also someone who Tony believed had earned the right to be there. Granted, Tony hadn't seen the man after Siberia, not until they were both in the fight of their lives at the destroyed Avengers Compound upstate. After reading through the HYDRA files on the Winter Soldier, Tony had provided the BARF technology to T'Challa's sister and assisted in refining the design of the Vibranium arm. He'd been impressed when Bucky had chosen to go back into cryostasis until he was safe to those around him. Peter had even gotten Bucky to tell the story about how he ended up tending a herd of goats, until T'Challa had retrieved him to help in the fight against Thanos.

With the possibility of Pepper being pregnant with Morgan (he wasn't sure he could wait until next week for the pregnancy test), Tony almost had his whole world back. He really hoped Bucky would also be able to find happiness this time around.

"We're here, Boss," Happy had the door open and Tony smiled up at him as he stepped out.

"I take it we should head up?" Tony asked as Bucky stepped into the elevator with them, carrying a box of food.

"Yeah, May said he could wake at any time really." Happy used his keycard to send the elevator to the penthouse.

"Okay," Tony exchanged a glance with Bucky. "Let's go see what version of Captain America we are dealing with."

Chapter Text

Tony walked into the repurposed office with Bucky a step behind him. Happy toke the box of ribs on into the kitchen, where Peter, Pepper, and Ben were waiting. Tony's stomach fluttered with nerves, more than he wanted to admit to having. Bucky had fallen silent as they had gotten closer to the room and Tony heard him draw in a deep breath. May was making a note on her tablet as they entered, before reaching down to take the device off of Steve's forefinger. The man himself stirred slightly on the bed, but hadn't opened his eyes.

Bucky moved around Tony and stood at the by the right side of the bed as May moved over to the desk pushed against the far wall, still typing on the tablet. Tony kept his eyes on Bucky and Steve – one of whom had become a trusted friend and the other, a wild card to them. As he watched, Bucky reached toward Steve and laid his flesh hand on his bare ankle.

"Stevie? Can you hear me?"

The quiet warmth in Bucky's voice made Tony smile; he could imagine this man as a ten-year-old, taking care of the asthmatic little spitfire Steve Rogers had been at nine. Bucky had been his best friend and self-appointed care giver up to the minute he'd ship out to fight a war. Steve stirred, his head rolling towards Bucky, before his eyes blinked slowly open. As they watched, Steve stared for a long moment, before he jerked upright and reached for Bucky. Tony moved forward to catch him if he fell.

As Bucky stepped into the hug, Tony watched as he was pulled down to sit on the bed, Steve burying his face in his friend's chest. Bucky laid his head on Steve's hair as Tony saw Steve's shoulders shaken. Crossing his arms over his chest, Tony debated leaving the two men alone, uncomfortable with the display of emotion, but a hand grabbed his elbow and pulled him closer.

"Steve?" Tony asked quietly.

Turning his head without lifting it, Steve looked up at Tony with red-rimmed eyes. "My brain is a bit foggy and mixed up; one part of it is telling me Bucky died last week, but another part is telling me I owe you so many apologies."

With a gentle tug, Steve pulled Tony closer and wrapped an arm around his waist to bring him into the hug. He heard May snort, probably at the look on his face, but he grudgingly accepted when Bucky wrapped an arm around his shoulder as well and pulled him down.

"Suck it up, Stark," Bucky rumbled as he lifted his head, giving both of them a squeeze before he pulled away. "Lay back, Steve, and let May look you over."

Tony was a bit surprised when Steve did just that, quietly laying back and allowing May to take his vitals. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the technology in use, but always came back to Bucky, who had stepped back with Tony. They knew from what Steve had told Bucky and the report JARVIS had hacked in the past, Steve had been immediately able to function the moment he'd awoken. While that had been sufficient for Fury, May insisted a slower initiation into being fully operational. Everyone else agreed, if nothing more than to ingrain into Steve that he was a person, not a weapon as SHIELD had.

Quickly, May declared Steve was fit enough for minimal activity and a light diet for the first several days. Bucky took Steve to his room to clean up and get dressed, while Tony and May headed to the kitchen. All the others, including Rhodey, were gathered around the table as they walked in.

"Platypus!" Tony grabbed his best friend in a mock headlock, before kissing the top of his head. "When did you get back?"

Rhodey pushed him away with a grin. "Just flew in. I wanted to be here when the captain woke up. How is he?"

Tony moved around the table, kissing the top of Peter's head as he dropped into the seat beside Pepper. "May could probably answer better than I could, but he seemed okay, a bit emotional and confused."

"Which we should have expected," May told them as the ribs were passed her way. "I think it will take some time for him to assimilate the memories he received from the Time and Mind stones."

"Hell, just removing what Wanda put into his head ought to clarify his thinking," Pepper interjected. "Tony was a wreck after what happened in Sokovia, I don't think he got more than three hours sleep for years."

"Have we located the source for the bomb that killed the Maximoff parents?" Rhodey asked.

"If I may, Sir?" JARVIS said.

Tony waved a hand, his mouth jammed full of the most tender baby back ribs he'd ever tasted.

"The bombs which killed the Maximoff parents were deployed by the US Air Force, in support of a UN Peacekeeping Operation in Sokovia which ended in 2002. A subsequent complaint filed by the UN over the high ratio of dud ordinance supplied by Stark Industries was dealt with personally by Obidiah Stane."

"Fu-dge!" Tony exclaimed. "I always suspected Stane had a hand in their situation, but I had no idea he was selling faulty bombs."

"SI doesn't sell defective ordinance, Tones, that was something you insisted on when you took over," Rhodey pointed out. "So if they were sold, it was under the table, and the blame lies with Stane and his co-conspirators."

"Most of whom have been identified and were taken into custody by the FBI last week." Pepper took a vicious bite out of a rib.

"But it still happened, so the Maximoff twins have already gone through their suffering and already hate the US and me," Tony told them quietly.

"They are both, what, nineteen now, Tony, and radicalized by rebels fighting a civil war."

"But maybe there is a way to prevent them from volunteering for HYDRA's training program." Tony wracked his brain for a way to prevent HYDRA from twisting the twins' innate abilities.

Rhodey nodded. "Then we have to make sure HYDRA is weeded out and prevent the scepter from falling into their hands. Maybe see if we can locate them and offer assistance."

"That is certainly one of my goals," Bucky said from behind them. "The HYDRA part, anyway."

Looking up, Tony could see Bucky and Steve walking towards them. Steve looked like he'd had a shower and was now wearing a pair of Bucky's sweatpants and a tee shirt. While everyone paused to look up at the two, Peter's head snapped around and he jumped to his feet. Tony could see him lift his chin, his face hard, and would have laughed if he didn't know his kid was dead serious.

Steve stopped in his tracks, before slowly crouching down so he was eye-level with Peter. "I'm still trying to figure out all the stuff in my head, but like I told Tony, you are definitely someone I owe an apology to, Queens."

Peter stood for a moment, looking at the hand Steve slowly extended to him, before taking a step forward and taking it. Tony could tell Peter was gripping far harder than was necessary while Peter stared Steve down.

"Are you going to hurt Mr. Tony again, Captain America Rogers sir?" Peter asked fiercely, still gripping his hand.

"No, Peter, I won't hurt Tony or anyone else in this family. I have a vague memory of a vow?"

"Mr. Carter did an Unbreakable Vow."

Steve winced but nodded. "I'll take over that vow, on one condition."

"What's that?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"You let me give you a hug."

Peter studied him for a moment and Tony held his breath, until Peter gave a sharp nod. Steve didn't hesitate, reeling the child into his arms and wrapping them around him. He stood, Peter still in his arms, and Bucky laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you sit down and I'll get you a protein shake," he told his old friend.

Tony wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Do you remember everyone, Steve?"

Finally setting Peter done by his chair, Steve looked round the table with a small smile on his face, until he got to Ben. "I'm a bit foggy on who you are, sir?'

Ben wiped his fingers and stood, taking the hand Steve held out. "Ben Parker, May's husband, Pete's uncle, and all-around stabilizing influence to this crazy bunch."

Tony snorted at that. "I'm not sure about that, but Ben works with Happy to keep us protected. Bucky goes with me as a sort of body guard and minder—"

It was Bucky's turn to snort as he set a shake down in front of one of the empty seats, before dropping into the next one, and reaching for the ribs.

"—which gives Pepper some peace of mind. May is our medical person, a registered nurse, and also helping Pepper when she can. Rhodey just got promoted to full colonel, is our liaison with our military oversight committee, and has War Machine," Tony continued as he reached for the coleslaw. "Bucky's technically his own grandson, James Buchanan Barnes III. And last, but not least, the spiderling has his powers already."

Steve chugged down the shake and made a face. "Okay," he gave May a forlorn look. "Can I have just one rib, please?"

May gave him a glare, "You're almost as bad as Peter, Rogers! One and only one! And eat it slowly, so you don't throw it up!"

Bucky pulled the plate of ribs closer and looked over them, before selecting a small end piece for Steve. "How much of what do you remember?"

Steve picked up the rib and held it with both hands. "I remember very clearly what happened before I sent the Valkyrie into the ice. I mean, for me that was just yesterday. The memories from before, when I woke up the first time are also there, but more like recollections that I can pull up pretty easily if I need to. My—other life," Stever paused to take a deep breath, "it's more like a dream – it's there, but a bit fuzzy."

"I know how you feel, pal," Bucky muttered, before devouring another rib.

"Your memories with probably settle and integrate a little better after a couple of days," May told him. "All of us had similar problems at first, in fact, we had to draw up a timeline of things that happened to us the first time. That way we could track the changes and anticipate the ramifications of our actions or inactions."

Tony saw Steve wince at that, possibly from a stray memory. "In some respects, you're lucky, Steve. You've got no expectations for the next four years, as SHIELD didn't defrost you until the Spring of 2012."

"That just gives us time to get prepared." Pepper spoke up. "Which means Steve needs to go through the timeline with Tony, Rhodey, Bucky, and Peter and add anything he remembers. Oh, and you all need to put your heads together and figure out what we're going to do with SHIELD, as I have a feeling Fury is going to show up soon."

"Damn," Tony wiped his fingers and pushed his plate away. "JARVIS, when is Agent's appointment?"

"Next Friday afternoon, Sir," JARVIS answered. "Hello, Captain Rogers."

Tony glanced over to Steve and was astonished with the look of delight on his face. "Hello, JARVIS. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to hear your voice."

"Thank you, Captain."

Pepper leaned down to kiss Tony's cheek. "Sort out the timeline and figure out SHIELD. We've cut off all funding for them, so I'm sure we'll hear something before next week."

Happy and Ben went with her, talking quietly as they got into the elevator. Peter got up and stared to gather the dishes up, before May waved him off.

"I'll take care of these. You boys need to go over the timeline and get Steve up to date on what we have planned, especially the kids camp and things." She gave her patient a look, before scowling at Bucky. "You're responsible, Buck, make Steve sit on the couch and all of you drink water!"

"I'm responsible, too!" Tony sputtered as May arched an eyebrow.

Bucky smirked. "All right, children, to the lab!"

The next morning Tony ventured down to the lab. Bucky was going to get Steve and Peter situated in the gym adjacent to Happy's room, before coming down to help him with the locking casing for the reactor. A glance at the holographic display JARVIS had up for him, Tony could see it was already the 10th of June, and they were headed up to the compound site for a look around after lunch. This had been the first time he'd been alone since Steve had woken up and Tony knew he couldn't keep putting off looking at Howard's journal, which he'd retrieved from his bedroom. Taking a deep breath, Tony turned to the first entry.

Son,

I will go out on a limb and assume for some reason you invented time travel sometime in the 2020s.

Just so you know, your mother was delighted with the sauerkraut, flowers, and candle-light dinner. After a nice foot rub, she’s tucked into bed, still insisting you are a girl.

It does concern me that something so dire has happened in the future, you would take the chance to come back in time and take the Tesseract – and yet, it was back when I got here this morning. SHIELD has been trying to get me to create weapons from the cube, but I am actually trying to find a way to harness the power in it as an energy source. It seems to be self-generating and could be the answer to a less-polluting way to provide electricity.

Your reassurances did help calm my nerves; however, your phasing made it sound as if I hadn’t lived long enough to meet my granddaughter. I sincerely hope I was a good father to you, made sure you knew how much I loved you, and spent the time with you that you made reference to.

I’m not sure when you will discover this bookshelf, but when you do, the journals are for you. They detail all my research into a vast number of subjects I have created or projects I have been a part of developing. Some of these projects should never have been created, perhaps you can prevent their development in your time.

I know it might sound silly to you but I suspect that the Super Soldier Serum given to Steve Rogers would have kept him alive went he ditched the Valkyrie in 1945. If this is the case, I plan to double my efforts to find him. He would be a powerful ally for you when the time comes.

I don't know how I let SHIELD talk me into trying to recreate the Serum, again – I don’t want to be involved in any more dealings with Arnim Zolar. If I can prefect it, though, I plan on giving you a dose, to ensure you have the best chance of surviving whatever is coming in the future.

I’ll update as time passes.

Love, Dad

There was a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach as he read, proving their theory that Grant Carter's timeline had been completely wiped out. Intellectually he knew it would help their chances to protect the stones and defeat the Titan, but it was unsettling. At least Steve had hazy memories of that time, so he shouldn't be tempted to repeat the action. Tony felt for Bucky, who had to have conflicting emotions about Steve. While he'd been the attentive best friend since Steve had awoken yesterday, he was more reserve with Steve than Tony had come to know him to be with any of the rest of them.

Once burned, twice shy. Anna Jarvis' old saying rose from the depth of his mind and Tony had to agree, hoping Steve didn't ever chose to abandon Bucky again.

"Sir, Director Fury is headed up to the penthouse," JARVIS announced. "He believes he has bypassed my protocols in order to do so."

Tony sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. Why was Fury here, the day after Steve Rogers had been thawed? Had they missed a bug or was it just coincidence? Considering it was SHIELD, coincidence didn't exist.

"Please make sure the others are aware of his impromptu visit, J."

"Already done, Sir."

Tony slid Howard's journal under a piece of Kevlar cloth and stood, stepping into the doorway as the elevator dinged a warning. Nicolas Fury, dressed in his black leather trench coat, in all his eye-patched glory, stepped out of the door. Not moving from his position, Tony kept his arms loosely by his side and arched an eyebrow at the man. He wasn't going to act like he didn't know who the man was, not with Howard as a father and Peggy Carter as an honorary godmother.

"Mr. Stark, my name is Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD." The man crossed towards him, stopping just out of arm reach.

"Director," Tony gave him a polished smile. "To what do I owe this unscheduled and unwanted intrusion?"

Fury gave the area a cursory scan of his eye, before he met Tony's gaze. "I'm not sure how you know who I am, Stark, but I came here to give you a heads up."

Tony snorted. "Maybe Howard kept a framed photo of you on his nightstand, Director, or perhaps my godmother spoke of the extra special agent she had an eye on. What difference does it make how I know you, as I obviously do."

Fury took half a step forward before he halted abruptly, gaze going over Tony's shoulder. "You'll find SHIELD is an organization you want on your side, Stark, especially when you are dabbling in things you shouldn't."

Tony sighed, long and loudly. "What is it you want to tell me, Fury?"

"Obadiah Stane was seen leaving an airfield in Los Angeles this morning," Fury informed him, as if it was against his better judgement to tell Tony this.

"Tell the FBI, they hold jurisdiction on treason investigations." Tony shrugged; he crossed his arms over his chest. "Was there anything else, Director?"

Fury lifted his chin toward a point over his shoulder, where Tony would bet Bucky now stood.

"I was also interested in the identity of your newest bodyguard." Fury's tone was neutral.

"James?" Tony scowled appropriately. "Why would SHIELD care about one of my employees?"

As if on cue, Bucky stepped up to stand right behind Tony's shoulder, and he turned with a smile, allowing the man to step through the doorway and stand next to him. With the short, blond-spiked hair, neat traditional goatee, and the flesh glove on his metal hand, he really didn't look like much like the pictures from WWII. The most famous photo, taken with him at Captain America's side, showed a younger, thinner, Bucky Barnes.

Bucky looked between Tony and Fury, before extending his right hand. "I'm Barnes."

Fury stared at his hand for a moment, before slowly reaching out to grasp it firmly. "Mr. Barnes."

"James, this is Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD."

"Agent's boss?" Bucky stood at parade rest, eyes evaluating Fury.

Nodding, Tony didn't even try to hide his smirk. "The very same. He seems to be interested in you, actually."

Bucky arched an eyebrow at Fury. "How is it I can help you, Director Fury?"

Fury stared hard at Bucky for several long minutes, during which the man just returned his gaze evenly, before he turned back to Tony. "You expect me to believe this man is the grandson of Bucky Barnes, Captain America's best friend?"

"I don't expect anything of you, Nicky," Tony told him quietly, moving slightly to stand closer to Bucky. "I am a bit curious as to why you would even care, unless you, like Coulson, harbor a secret obsession for Howling Commandos."

There was the barest hint of a flinch from Fury, who took a threatening step closer to Bucky. "And if I told you the intelligence community was in an uproar over the disappearance of an assassin known as the Winter Soldier."

Tony had to give it to Bucky, who made absolutely no move as Fury stood in his personal space. He, on the other hand, could not help a scowl.

"I'd like to know who passed that information to you, Fury," he spat out, unable to keep the disgust out of his tone. "And unless it's Agent Romanoff, I'd take a good long look at their background."

Drawing himself up stiffly, Fury pivoted to look at Tony. "There is no way you could know—"

"You have no idea what I know, Fury! You should have reviewed the tape of Agent's appointment! Howard fucking Stark was one of the founders of SHIELD and you have no idea how much information he left behind! The very fact that Zola was brought into SHIELD, means there has been a HYDRA loyalist recruiting in your organization since it's very inception!"

"And why would you mention my name in the same conversation as that of HYDRA's Asset, Director Fury, unless you are aware of his identity?" Bucky's voice was colder than the ice Steve had been frozen in.

Fury's hand dropped to his waist and the sneer Bucky gave him was impressive. "If I were truly the Winter Soldier, that 9mm wouldn't help you at all."

Fury relaxed his arm, letting it hang by his side and focused his intense scowl back on Tony. Tony returned the look, his mind cycling through which way to go with this unexpected encounter. Nick Fury hated HYDRA as much as either Tony or Bucky, but his secrets had secrets. Tony knew bringing Fury into their circle might help them attain the goal of defeating Thanos, the man needed to deal with HYDRA first.

Tony schooled his features. "You need to clean house, Fury, before we give you any answers. I know for a fact that Coulson is not HYDRA, but that's about all—"

"STRIKE Team Delta," Bucky interjected between clenched teeth. "Look into who they answer to,really answer to, and you might find the trail of bread crumbs you are looking for."

Fury looked between them, a thoughtful expression on his face, before giving them a nod and moving towards the elevator.

"Next time you want to have a conversation," Tony said casually, "call the number JARVIS is putting in your phone. Oh, and Nick?"

Fury turned around as he stepped into the waiting elevator.

"Don't try to plant any spies in SI."

The elevator door closed on Fury's sour look. Tony let out a sigh, before jumping a foot when Bucky's arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"That wasn't tense at all." Steve's voice came from the stairwell door, as he and Peter stepped out. "He's the director of what SSR became?"

"Yup," Peter answered as he went immediately to where Tony and Bucky stood and hugged them both. "He's a pirate."

"He might be a useful pirate, kiddo, if he can get HYDRA out of his organization."

Steve whipped his sweaty face off with the gym towel around his neck. "Learning HYDRA hadn't died with Schmidt was a blow the first time." He glanced at Tony. "Sort of sent me off half-cocked, instead of rounding up my allies to help."

Tony shook his head. "None of that, Steve. We all know where things went wrong opr where we could have handled things better. You won't hear any recriminations from us."

Steve took a breath and nodded. "Alright. Do I have time for a shower before we have lunch? Peter showed me how to use all the equipment in the gym, while laughing at me."

Tony looked down at the kid still pressed against his leg. "And you sat on the ceiling to intimidate the man, didn't you?"

Peter just grinned.

As the van they had used to drive to the Compound site turned onto the access road, Tony could feel his chest tighten with remembered panic. The arc reactor ached sharply, Tony pressing the heel of his palm against it, before Peter reached over and tugged at his arm. Tony let Peter pull his hand into Peter's lap and wrap his fingers around it reassuringly. Bucky was driving, Steve riding in the passenger seat, a baseball cap and sunglasses hiding his eyes. While all the windows were darkly tinted, the windshield was not, and even Bucky had on oversized sunglasses.

The van itself was specially made, with four captain seats around a small work table in the back section, a compact bathroom with shower, and a kitchenette. Steve's shield, along with Tony's armor were in the closet by the rear door, giving them immediate access to them should something happen. Bucky had several rifles and hand guns secreted within the van, along with one holstered on his hip. Steve had insisted on one as well, asking for a Colt 1911, the same gun he'd carried in combat. Tony had even given into Peter, allowing him to wear a his secret web shooters under his long-sleeved tee shirt.

It wasn't that they were expecting problems, Tony reasoned, but with the visit from Fury and JARVIS confirming that Stane was back in the country; they needed to be prepared. He'd texted Ben and Happy with the news and May had promised to stay in the penthouse until Ben could return. Rhodey, back in DC, had also been updated on both Stane's status and Fury's visit. He, in turn, had informed the oversight committee, all of whom seemed puzzled by Fury's behavior.

It was surreal to Tony as they drove through the gate JARVIS had opened, His mind's eye seemed to put a ghost image of the Avengers Compound over the old warehouses, already in the process of being demolished. There were rows of construction equipment parked in the space which would become the Quinjet landing area and the beginning of the foundation was marked off with concrete forms and rebar. Near the equipment, were large rolls of material ready to be made into tents as soon as the warehouses were gone. A large chain-link fence had been started around the construction site itself, so none of the children coming to the science camp could get hurt.

Peter started chattering away, pointing out where things had been in the Compound for Bucky, who had never been there until after Thanos had destroyed it. Tony purposely did not think about the destruction, the battle still clear enough in his memory to induce nightmares routinely. Bucky pulled to a stop in a corner of the parking lot, furthest away from the warehouses. Tony jumped down when Bucky opened the door, Steve scanning the area for any threats.

Turning back, Tony lifted Peter out of his seat and carried him as he stepped away from the van. "Leave the door open, Buck, and if the need arises, press the hatch button twice to open the back closet."

"Got it," Bucky answered, still scanning the crew working on the tearing dowmn the warehouses.

"Dad!" Peter whined as Tony carried him out into a weed-filled field. "I can walk!"

"I know you can, bambino, and I'll let you down as soon as the super duo give the okay," Tony told him quietly. "Your spidey sense not going off?"

Peter froze for a moment, before relaxing. "No, its all calm right now."

Bucky and Steve walked up, heads still swiveling as they did. Tony glanced at Bucky, who gave him a slight nod as he and Steve moved to flank Tony. Setting Peter on his feet, Tony knelt down, knowing the two men would have his back, and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Tapping on the screen, JARVIS projected a 3D rendering of the proposed science camp.

"Alright, boys, here's where the main hall will be," he pointed to the right as the structure on the rendering flashed blue. "And over there with be the laboratories, the cafeteria—"

"Tony, what is the material you are using for this?" Steve interrupted quietly.

Looking up, Tony angled his head toward the construction area. "The white plastic looking sheets over there. Peter, you invented it, will you explain what it is?"

"It's a fireproof compound polymer, based on my webs. Dad helped me figure out how to—well, change the formula enough to make the webs into flat fireproof sheets. The tensile strength will hold up to—"

"It's strong enough that I couldn't break through it," Bucky grinned at Peter's put out face. "Steve's not gonna understand your scientific explanation, buddy."

Tony watched fondly as Peter went on to describe the material they were going to be using to make the buildings for the science camp. The polymer sheets could be molded into almost any shape and Steve turned out to have some great ideas on what the camp buildings should look like. They talked about considerations for bad weather, including hot temperatures and wind, and where to put a medical wing in the event of an emergency. Bucky even suggested where to place the access points and how to best secure the area for the kids, while still making it look like an actual summer camp.

They spent a pleasant afternoon planning how the field would be best laid out and Tony thoroughly enjoyed it. Peter was dozing in his seat by the time they made it back to the city and Tony was glad they'd brought sandwiches.

The best part of the day, however, was when Tony stepped into the master bedroom, where Pepper had been waiting for him, a positive pregnancy test in her hand.

Chapter Text

Tony was over the moon at them being pregnant, and while they immediately told their family, he and Pepper decided to do everything they could to keep it a secret from anyone else. Pepper was already enough of a target as the COO of Stark Industries. He was tempted to lock her into the penthouse, but knew how Pepper would react to that suggestion. Tony immediately had JARVIS order all the various pickled vegetables Pepper had craved when she was pregnant with Morgan before, even the okra and jalapenos.

The news prompted all of them to be more cognizant of security. Happy varied the route they drove to the main office and changed cars on each run. Ben accompanied them on most of the runs, and if he couldn't, Steve took his place. When Tony was working from his workshop, Steve and Bucky were usually sitting at his computer, making their way through the personnel files of all the SI employees in New York, weeding out anyone who might be a plant. Bucky was particularly concerned with HYDRA trying to infiltrate SI, especially after Tony told him about Natalie in the previous timeline. HYDRA played the long game, having sleeper agents in place for years, earning themselves positions of authority so they could benefit the evil organization.

Based on this, all of Stane's direct reports had been laid off, and were being subjected to criminal investigation by the FBI. Anyone who was suspicious due to their background or actions on the job, had their security clearance revoked, and were put on administrative leave until they were reinvestigated. Tony knew they were being paranoid, but the whole team had agreed to the level of caution. JARVIS had been upgraded with new hardware, including facial recognition and retina scans, as well as fingerprint recognition.

"Tony?"

May's soft voice startled him from his calculations for the repulsor engines to power the Quinjets, making him jump. He swung around, one hand going automatically to the reactor in his chest.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." May said, smirking just a little.

Sending a glare toward the duo sitting at his desk, Tony turned to give May his full attention. "What's up, buttercup?"

"I was thinking of inviting the Leeds to dinner tonight and then the boys could have a sleepover. It would do Peter some good to be a kid for a while."

Nodding, Tony agreed without hesitation. Peter had been pitching in wherever he could, from working with Tony in the lab, spending time teaching Steve how to correctly navigate the internet, and working on other ways to use his web formula. Peter had also been helping to get the dormitories in the camp tents ready for the kids to occupy, from a science kid's perspective. Peter was very creative, especially when Steve helped with the design and colors.

Tony smiled at her. "That's a great idea! If Ted can come over this afternoon, he can go up to the Compound with us."

"Ned!" Bucky piped up at the same time May gave him the evil eye. "I'll see if Ned can go."

Tony waved them both off, hiding a grin. "Kid hacked the Spider boy's suit!"

"You need to talk to them about the boys' schooling, too." May threw over her shoulder as she left.

That was actually one of the things on his to-do list, as both he and the Parkers agreed homeschooling Peter for a few years would keep him from being bored and keep him safer until he grew into his powers. Each of them had agreed to teach Peter one subject, at least until they could find and vet a tutor. Tony figured he had time to take care of the issue after the kids' camp was over.

Steve had disappeared when Bucky tapped on his shoulder to remind him about lunch. Tony stood and stretched, trying to work out the knots as he studied Bucky's face. While the man was usually relaxed around the penthouse, Bucky looked a little tense, making Tony frown.

"What's the matter, snowflake?" he asked simply.

Bucky blew out a breath and glanced over his shoulder, before meeting Tony's eyes. "I don't know that anything is the matter, really, I just don't know what to do."

Tony stepped closer and laid a hand on Bucky's right arm. In the short time they had been in the past, Bucky had become a close, trusted friend. Tony had mentally thanked the stones several times over for sending the man back to them.

"Something with Steve?" he guessed.

"Yeah," Bucky admitted, looking down at his hands. "When we were teenagers, Steve and I—well, we had gotten really close." He took a breath as Tony's eyes widened at the admission. "I'd always been attracted to both guys and gals; I'm pretty sure Steve was, too. And we had to be very careful, as that kind of thing was still illegal." Bucky swallowed hard. "Even after he rescued me from Azzano, we shared a tent and a bed when we could."

Tony nodded his head slowly. "I always wondered – I mean you guys seemed like a love story for the ages, except for Peggy." He frowned, remembering their prior conversation. "But if he had a crush on her and in his mind believed she was—"

"His one true love," Bucky whispered. "Which is what the witch played on – the idea that she was the only one he'd ever be happy with, but she was beyond reach and his chance at happiness gone."

Tony stepped closer and put an arm around Bucky. "He told you?"

Nodding, Bucky sighed and leaned against Tony for a moment. "I think he wanted to clear the air, but I don't know if it's because he wants us to be best friends or lovers!"

Tony tightened his arm, giving Bucky a squeeze. "I'd be the first to tell you that I'm the worst person in the world to give relationship advice, but I would say just be patient."

Bucky snorted and tried to step away, but Tony wouldn't let him. "I know that's easy for me to say, but think about it. I think this Steve is different; he's quieter, more willing to listen, and just seems more settled."

The tension drained out of Bucky's shoulders and he nodded his head. "I —yes, you're right. I just get frustrated."

Patting Bucky's shoulder, Tony took a step back. "Let him settle in, get comfortable to this place, and his new worldview."

Clapping his hands, Tony turned to walk out the door. "Good talk, Buckaroo—"

A hand dropped on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I don't care what anyone says, you are a good man, Tony Stark."

His heart stuttered a beat as Tony let Bucky steer him out the door, a slight smile on his face. He wasn't used to hearing those statements made about him, having only heard the like from Ana, Jarvis, and Rhodey in the past. He let the sound of Peter's excited chattering wash over them as they stepped into the foyer. The kid had an arm draped over his best friend's shoulder and they were both speaking adamantly to a woman who made Tony feel tall.

She was smiling as she listened intently to the boys, laugh lines apparent at the corners of her dark eyes. As Tony stepped into the room, she turned to look at him and Tony caught her eyes widening at the sight of him. Peter bounced over, throwing his arm around Tony's thighs.

"Ms. Tala, Ned, I'd like you to meet my Tony and Uncle Bucky!" Peter grinned widely. "Da—Tony, Uncle Bucky, this is Ned's lola!"

Tony smiled, accepting the hand that was extended to him and was amazed how warm it was. He clasped it for a moment. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tala."

"And you, Mr. Stark," Tala assured him before turning toward Bucky, who gently shook her hand. The woman turned back the two boys, who had already distracted themselves by whispering furiously back and forth. "Why don’t you boys take Ned’s bag to your room, Peter?"

Peter grabbed Ned’s hand and his bag, pulling him into the penthouse and taking off towards his bedroom, dragging a bemused Ned along. Tony laughed, and in a sweeping gesture, ushered Ms. Tala through the doorway and towards the dining room, where Steve stood waiting. Tala stopped at the sight of him and turned slowly to Tony, making eye contact.

"How is it that all of you, including Peter, have been touched by the Time Stone?"

Tony stiffened but didn’t look away from the hard glitter of the dark eyes. "You wouldn’t be a friend of the Old One, would you?"

Tala blinked at him and frowned.

"Uh, tall, slender white lady, dressed in bright yellow, likes to make orange sparks?"

Tala’s lips twitched. "The Ancient One?"

"Yes," Bucky answered, arms stiffly at his side. "Are you magical as well?"

"I am a practitioner of the Mystic Arts, as is the Sorcerer Supreme," Tala responded. "Although, my talent is more specifically the ability to read auras."

"But you can make those swirly orange portals?" Steve asked eagerly, before blushing. "Oh, I’m Steve, by the way."

"Aimee Tala, Ned’s grandmother. And, yes, I can create portals."

Tony pulled out a chair for Tala. "It’s a long story and I’m not sure how much we should—"

"You’ve been sent back to make changes?" she asked quietly.

Tony shared a glance at Bucky and Steve, before nodding. "Yes—"

She put up her hand. "That’s all I need to know, based on your auras. I will give any help you might need to further your goals."

Stunned, Tony could only nod, a smile on nis face.

"Can anyone else tell?" Steve asked quietly.

Tala shook her head. "Very few actually, the Ancient One, of course, and maybe one or two others, that I am aware of. No one who would be a danger to you.""

They were prevented from asking any further questions by the boys coming back, and while Tony planned on telling Peter, along with everyone else, about Tala’s abilities, he wasn’t sure whether she wanted her grandson to know. Tala was all for letting Ned do his studies with Peter and promised to speak to her daughter and son-in-law, much to the boys’ delight. Lunch was a lively affair, with May joining them for the lasagna, salad, and garlic bread Tony had delivered. Happy and Ben were with Pepper at a business lunch in Lower Manhattan.

Tala left after dessert, kissing Ned, despite his squirming. Tony made sure they exchanged phone numbers and promised to make sure Ned was home the next afternoon. The boys ran to change into jeans for the trip to the compound, while Tony went to freshen up himself. It had been a morning of revelations, surprisingly, but Tony was glad. They had been given this second chance due to their sacrifices in the old timeline and there was no one more worthy of happiness than James Barnes. He and Steve would figure it out, Tony was sure.

On the other hand, a way to communicate with the sorcerers would be beneficial. Tony had debated on whether taking a trip to the Sanctorum was appropriate now or whether they needed to wait until Strange became a part of the community. The Ancient One would be a powerful ally to have when Loki came to Earth in a few years. Strange and his wizards had proven themselves during the battle at the Compound and being able to portal would be invaluable.

"Dad?" Peter poked his head in the door. "Are you ready?"

"Yup." Tony grabbed a hooded sweatshirt, before opening his arms to Peter. "Hug?"

Peter threw his arms around Tony, who gave wrapped him up in a hug. "Hey, did you tell us at one point that Ted learned how to create those portals, like Strange did?"

Peter scrounged up his face for a moment, before smiling widely. "Yes! Wong, Dr. Strange’s assistant, took him as an apprentice and taught him."

Tony nodded, releasing Peter. "His grandmother recognized us as being touched by the Time Stone, but I don’t think she wants him to know."

With a sigh, Peter nodded. "It’s hard to keep secrets from Ned."

"I know, kiddo, but we have to." Tony ruffled his hair and led him out of the bedroom.

The trip upstate was full of the boys’ chatter as they put together the R2D2 Lego kit Tony had thought to bring. Tony read over some of the notes he’d found in Howard’s journal, detailing the energy emissions of the Tesseract and how HYDRA had managed to turn its gamma radiation into weapons. He was surprised to find Howard quoting information Steve and Bucky had written in mission reports about how the weapons actually worked. Bucky was once again driving as Steve rode shotgun.

Leaning forward, Tony tapped the back of Steve’s arm with the book. "Will you look as this and see if it is accurate to what you remember?" he asked as he handed the book to Steve.

Reading quickly, Steve handed the journal back to Tony. "It synopsizes what Bucky and I both reported; not really a recoil from the rifles, more a smooth slide backwards, with the energy diffused along the length of the weapon itself. The same with the larger weapons, like the cannons on the tanks – the energy seemed to be absorbed into the vehicle."

"Although, you could feel the energy wash over you," Bucky added, not taking his eyes off the roadway. "Or at least I could, but that was after Zola had injected me at Azzano."

"So, the Serum may have made both of you more sensitive to the energy blast," Tony mused, as he went back to reading.

"Five minutes out from the Compound, Sir," JARVIS relayed through his phone. "All employees are present and accounted for, no unauthorized individuals present."

"Thanks, J," Tony answered, marking his page in the journal and slipping it into the inner pocket of his jacket. "Scoop the extra Legos into the drawer, kids, we're almost there."

The gate swung open for them as the security guards recognized Bucky and waved them through. Both Tony and Bucky frowned at that, their eyes meeting in the rearview mirror. Guard should at least stop them and confirm who was in the van. Especially with all the kids coming in a week.

"JARVIS, contact Happy and let him know about the security staff at the gate, please. I want every vehicle stopped and checked – even if they recognize one of us."

"Yes, Sir."

Tony took a deep breath and turned his attention toward the soaring, green tents that had been erected since their last visit to the site. The SI construction crews had been working ten-hour shifts around the clock to get the camp finished in time. The matte green surface would help camouflage the tents from aircraft, as it was the same shade as the freshly laid sod around the complex. The tents were interconnected, forming a triangle with an open area in the middle for the kids to eat and play in. At Bucky's suggestion, the outer sides of each of the tents had been reenforce with the Kevlar weave used to create the bullet-proof uniforms for Peter, Bucky, and Steve.

Pulling into the parking lot, set a hundred yards from the tent enclave, Tony waited until Bucky and Steve had walked the perimeter of the area, to make sure everything was secure. Tony checked his gauntlet watch and could see Peter tug his sleeves down over his web shooters as they were given the all clear to come out. Bucky again left the back door of the van ajar, so there would be no obstacles if they needed the armor or additional weapons.

"This looks awesome, Dad!" Peter bounced on his toes. "Can we go check out the fabric?"

Tony waved them on. 'Yes, just don't go into the tent without me."

The boys took off running and Tony could hear Peter explaining to Ned how the composite fabric was made. Tony stopped and turned around slowly, taking in all the work that had been accomplished since they'd last been there. All of the old warehouses had been removed and the framework laid for the new foundation of what would become the Avengers Compound. The only heavy equipment currently in use was at the far end of the complex, taking out the last of the old concrete.

Bucky moved past him, walking fast to keep up with the boys, while Steve came to stand by his shoulder. There was something stiff in his posture and Tony glanced up at his face, only to see a thousand-yard stare.

You okay, Steve?" he asked quietly.

A shudder went through the other man as his eyes swept the grassy meadow toward the river. "The memories may be fuzzy, but it's impossible to mute the emotions. We came so close to losing everything," Steve whispered and swallowed hard. "We did lose you—"

Tony laid his hand on Steve's arm, his own eyes reseeing the battle that had devastated the area. Concentrating on the moment he'd seen the portals open up and people – their allies – walk through. The heart stopping moment he'd seen Peter swing his direction, the tangible evidence they had succeeded in bringing back those they had lost.

Clearing his throat, Tony blinked away the images, his hand tightening on Steve's arm. "I'll never forget when everyone we loved came walking through Strange's portals from Wakanda."

Steve smiled and nodded. "Yes, there is that—"

"Sir? Mr. Hogan is requesting you meet with the demolition foreman at the far end of the Compound."

Tony exchanged a glance with Steve. "Any idea why, JARVIS?"

Steve trotted back to the van and grabbed his shield, before passing the word to Bucky, who would stay with the boys.

"They have discovered some type of concrete bunker under the floor of the last warehouse, I believe."

"Okay, let him know Steve and I are walking over there. Bucky is taking the boys into the tents and keeping them there."

Tony could see where the heavy equipment was staged, about a hundred yards away, and began to slowly jog. One hand went up to push on the arc reactor, even though Tony knew it wasn't actually moving in his chest. Steve matched his speed and Tony threw him a dirty look, but it just got a smirk in return.

"I could carry you if you want," Steve told him. "Might be better, at your advanced age…"

"And you can go fu—"

"Mr. Stark!"

A man ran toward them, Steve moved between them as they slowed to a walk. Tony recognized him and stepped around Steve.

"Hey, Sean, what did you find?" He smoothed a hand down the front of his leather jacket.

The foreman, early 50s, tall and muscular, but a bit soft in the middle, paused for a moment to catch his breath. "I—I think it's a reenforced concrete bunker of some kind. It's not on the blueprints or original plans drawn up by Stark Industries. While I have enough explosives to blow it up; you were here, so I thought you might have some idea of what might be stored in there."

"Well, I'm hoping it's not one of the bombs Howard worked on for the government!" Tony quipped, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

The man's dark skin paled and he took a deep breath. "Damn good thing you are here, then! Come with me, I'll take you to the door."

He took off toward the far side of the pile of demolition debris, to a large pit. In the center was a square block of concrete, approximately ten feet square, which had been excavated from underneath the oldest of the warehouses. On the north side of the structure was a reenforced metal door with a punch-coded lock on the door. Tony could see where several attempts had been made to breech the door, without success. Steve hopped down into the hole to examine the door. Tony followed him, his right hand running over the metal, taking in the feel of the texture.

"This is all Adamantium, I believe," he muttered to Steve, glancing over his shoulder to look at the foreman standing above the pit. "Try punching in your birthday to unlock the door."

Steve shot him a look, but Tony had a feeling about this bunker. His stomach cramped as he pondered what was inside and if he was right, Steve was the best man to go in. Keeping himself at a ninety-degree angle from Steve, so his eyes could sweep the area between them and the forest. A click told Tony he'd been right about the code and he glanced over to see Steve muscle open the door and slip cautiously inside. It wasn't a minute before Steve was back and Tony arched an eyebrow.

"HYDRA weapons," he said, low enough for only Tony to hear.

"Shit!" Tony muttered, tapping on his phone. "JARVIS, get Happy on the line, tell him I need him here. He also needs to double the security here and we're going to harden the site. Get a general work crew here, I want another fence built, along the property line, fortified, taller, electrified, and sensors wherever you need them, J. Find a construction crew to frame up and pour concrete here, fill the pit and all sides but the one with the door. I want a reenforce ten-foot tunnel from the door to create another entrance. On the top, I want the Quinjet parking area to be laid. Crew large enough to work around the clock to get it done yesterday. Have a camouflage tent erected over the pit until its done. "

Steve still stood solidly in front of the door, his phone in hand as he painstakingly typed out a text message. Tony hid a smile, remembering Steve's insistence he could learn to do anything Bucky could.

"Mr. Stark?" Sean, the foreman called to him. "You want me to continue or—"

"Actually," Tony turned to face him. "Have your people park the heavy equipment about a hundred feet back and send them home early." Tony caught the look on the man's face. "Full pay, of course, Sean. I'll have the plans drawn up for this bunker by tomorrow."

A smile lit Sean's face. "Thank you, Mr. Stark!"

Tony watched as the man walked off, waving his crew away from the area. He turned back to Steve, only to have the man wave him into the bunker, holding the door open wide enough for Tony to slip inside. After a moment of acclimating to the darkness, Tony could see the blue glow, reminiscent of his arc reactor, from hundreds of familiar looking rifles and cannons stacked into metal shelves, like an armory. Bile rose in his throat as Tony realized what he was looking at and he quickly exited the bunker.

Bending over, Tony braced his hands on his thighs and tried to will his stomach to stop roiling. "Fuck!" He breathed deeply.

A warm hand gave his shoulder a squeeze. "My reaction exactly." Steve stood beside him.

"Are you positive Howard wasn't HYDRA?" Tony couldn't help but ask, as he caught his breath and followed Steve back into the bunker.

"Naw, he hated the bastards, but it is in character for him to have collected all the HYDRA weapons he could find, to study them."

"And keep them out of the wrong hands," Tony mused. "Especially when SHIELD brought Zola in."

Nodding, Steve slowly turned in a circle as he looked at the stacks of weapons he thought destroyed seventy years ago. "There are hundreds of these here. What are we going to do with them?"

Tony sighed. "I'm going to have to go through Howard's journals and see if there is a way to separate out the energy source from the weapons themselves. In the meantime, we need to add another foot of lead-lined concrete around this bunker and I want the Aviation parking and landing strip added on top of it before science camp opens."

"If we can't move these, we'll camouflage and reenforce the protection," Steve guessed, nodding his head.

Tony backed out of the bunker after taking a number of pictures. "I'll need you and Bucky to help me go through the journals and find everything Howard wrote about these weapons."

Steve followed him out and pulled the heavy metal door shut, checking to make sure the lock had engaged and was the door resecured. "You've got more security coming, right?"

"Yeah," Tony uploaded the pictures to JARVIS for his private server. "More guards and another construction crew coming to get started right away."

Several security vehicles were making their way toward them as Tony and Steve climbed out of the pit. Steve stiffened and brought his shield up in front of him, while Tony activated the watch gauntlet on his left hand, keeping his arm down by his side. The vehicles stopped about twenty feet away and armed security officers piled out, forming a circle around the pit, facing outward. A supervisor walked toward Tony and Steve; hands purposely held away from his sides.

"Mr. Stark? I'm Torres," the large man gave Steve an appraising look. "Mr. Hogan would like you to return to the tent complex. We are forming an interior perimeter here."

Tony gave the man a hard look, he wasn't familiar with this particular SI employee.

"Mr. Hogan also said to tell you we'd like some of those St. Lewis ribs," Torres told him with a straight face.

Tony grinned and shook his head, retracting the gauntlet. "I'll see that you and your team get the works, Torres."

"Thank you, Mr. Stark!"

The man grinned before turning to inspect the positions his guards had taken up. Tony and Steve headed back toward the tent complex, each lost to his thoughts. Tony couldn't help but wonder if whether Stane knew about the bunker full of HYDRA weapons his father had managed to gather. From the little Tony had read in the journals, his father left, the weapons basically vaporized anything they hit, whether it was metal, concrete, or human. It especially concerned him as the Tesseract energy which he harnessed to produce clean energy, was used to make these insane weapons.

For a moment, Tony wished Bruce Banner had been sent back with them. No one understood the intricacies of gamma radiation like Bruce did.

Bucky was standing in the foyer of the main entrance, hand on his side arm, as they came into the tent complex. Tony arched an eyebrow at the look of disbelief on the man's face.

"What did you do with the weapons last time?" Bucky asked under his breath.

Shaking his head, Tony stepped into the large reception room. "We never found them or the bunker."

"Or someone else found them first," Steve grimaced.

"I don't think so," Tony said, thinking back to the first time he had ordered the demolition of the old warehouses, to begin construction on the compound. "I drew up the plans for the compound while recuperating from the surgery which removed the arc reactor, so 2014. It was before SHIELD imploded."

"Dad! Come look at the dorm rooms!" Peter's excited voice gave them warning as the two boys ran into the room.

Tony knew Peter's enhanced hearing would have picked up the conversation, so he'd wanted to warn them before he and Ned appeared. Both Bucky and Steve stayed alert, one always with a view of the entrance, as Tony and the boys did a walkthrough of the complex. The boys' and girls' rooms were adjacent to each other on the protected back side of the complex, set up with four to a room. So far, they had thirty-one confirmed children attending, all from the eastern seaboard, with facilities for forty. With ten girls and twenty-one boys, everyone felt that was a good number for the first camp.

Peter and Ned picked the room they would share with Harley, next door to Tony's room. Bucky and Steve would share a room between the boys and the girls in the middle, with Rhodey at the far end. Six science teachers had been invited to participate in the camp, each given their own rooms. This, along with the Stark Industries employees who had expressed an interest in helping, made the ratio of children to adults less than two to one. And that didn't include the other employees who would help the complex run smoothly – each background checked and vetted by Steve and Bucky.

On the way home, Bucky took them through a drive-thru for a round of milk shakes. They were on their own until dinner that night as May and Ben were attending a police colleague's retirement ceremony, and Pepper was still working, Happy taking care of her security himself. After dinner with Ned's parents, the boys were going to work on their Lego project that evening as Tony, Steve, and Bucky were going to read through the journals Howard had left behind.

Once they arrived at the building, Steve gathered their gear, volunteering to lock it up in Tony's lab. As soon as the elevator opened at the penthouse, the boys took off down the hall towards Peter's bedroom. Tony and Bucky walked into the living room, where Tony sat down. He heard a noise and turned to see Bucky freeze, hitting the coffee table as he fell face down to the floor. Suddenly, all his muscles froze and Tony slumping sideways on the couch, trying to get his lungs to draw in air.

"Ah, Tony, you thought you could outsmart me, but you are not as devious or cunning as you think you are!" Obediah Stane stepped out of a shadow, Sonic Taser in hand. "I thought I was killing the golden goose when I put the hit out on you, but thanks to HYDRA's blundering, you actually lived to invent your greatest creation yet!"

Stane leaned over Tony as he lay stiffly back on the couch and Tony wanted so badly to spit in his face. He'd never forgotten how helpless and hopeless he'd felt when this had happened the first time. He ignored Stane's stupid monologue, and concentrated on relaxing his locked muscles. Even as Stane opened the silver case he'd brought, Tony was able to wiggle his fingers and just as he opened the device which originally tore the arc reactor out of his chest, a spiderweb covered it and his hand.

"What the fuck?!" Stane sputtered, trying to rip the web off, only to have another web encircle his arms, immobilizing them.

Tony was able to roll away from Stane as he fell forward, hitting the couch where Tony had been laying, and rolling off on to the floor. Bucky stumbled to his feet, uncharacteristically clumsy, and yanked him to his feet beside him. Peter stepped further into the room, adding another layer of webbing onto the binds already on Stane, just as Steve charged into the room, shield at the ready. He instantly put himself between Peter and Stane.

"Tony! Bucky! Are you all right?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the asshole on the floor.

Shakily, Tony nodded as he and Bucky leaned against each other.

"You little prick—" A ball of webbing covered Stane's mouth, efficiently silencing him.

"Bastard!" Peter spat and not even Steve called him on his language.

Stane's eyes were full of loathing as he twisted his head around and then stiffened, before he stopped breathing. Tony immediately recognized that Stane had bitten down on a cyanide capsule – every HYDRA operative was issued one – and met Steve's eyes. Turning, Steve scooped Peter up and carried him out of the room.

Dragging in a deep breath, Tony blew it out slowly. "You good, snowflake?"

"Yeah." Bucky ran a shaky hand over his face. "Whatever that thing was, it's terrifying."

"Sonic Taser, he put it in his right jacket pocket. There should also be a set of specialized ear plugs, as well," Tony told him. "Can you grab them and we'll put them away before we call the authorities?"

"Sure thing." Bucky moved toward Stane.

"I'm going to head down to the workshop and see what he did to JARVIS," Tony headed toward the elevator. "Last time he'd managed to disrupt the whole house, but I built in protections against that since we've been back."

"I am here, Sir," JARVIS spoke up. "He was only able to mute me in the penthouse. Rest assured, I have notified Colonel Rhodes, as well as the FBI supervising agent of what has happened."

"Pepper, Happy, and the Parkers?"

"They are fine, Sir, and have also been notified."

Steve stepped out of the hallway. "The boys are fine and Peter is giving Ned an abridged version of what is going on."

Tony nodded as Bucky ripped the webbing off of Stane's face to confirm he was dead, before retrieving the other items. Leaving everything else in place, Bucky stood and moved to where Tony stood.

"At least, we don't have to worry about Stane hurting anyone else," Bucky observed.

"I did worry about him trying to snatch Pepper or Peter," Tony admitted grimly. "We also prevented so many casualties that happened in the other time line."

"And if I remember correctly, the stones mentioned the destruction of the SI reactor was some kind of a sign, right?" Bucky added, looking thoughtful.

Tony nodded; his knees suddenly weak as he thought of the significance of the original Arc reactor not imploding. It also meant it would need to be protected against any future threat. Steve grabbed Tony, slipping an arm around his waist as he moved him to the kitchen table and away from Stane's body. Bucky waited a minute as Steve settled Tony down on one of the dining chairs, before heading down to the lab with the taser. A bottle of water appeared in front of Tony and he took it gratefully.

A wave of sheer relief would have sent Tony to the floor if Steve hadn't had a hand on his shoulder and he felt his eyes prickled with tears. They were one step closer to making their world, and their family, safe from Thanos. Closing his eyes tightly, Tony breathed deeply through his nose, ignoring the rainbow of colors which glittered behind his eyelids. Stane's deep betrayal of both his father and Stark Industries hadn't surprised him, though, and Tony wondered why he didn't see it last time. It didn't really explain why there was a cache of old HYDRA weapons under the old warehouse, one Howard was obviously aware of.

The sound of a loud clank made Tony's eyes pop open, to find Bucky walking out of the elevator. He bypassed Tony and headed towards the reinforced balcony.

"It's Rhodey," he called back and Tony sighed in relief.

"Sir, Supervising Special Agent Chen of the FBI and Director Fury are on their way up."

"Thanks, J. Any word from the Parkers or Happy and Pepper?"

"All are on their way back," JARVIS assured him.

Rhodey and Bucky came in the balcony door, speaking together quietly, before Rhodey was at his side in three large steps. Tony was pulled from the chair and hugged tightly. He managed to get his arms loose and brought them around his best friend, just holding on. From the corner of his eye, Tony saw Steve grab Bucky and drag him into as tight a hug, Bucky's face a picture of panicked delight.

"Stark!"

Fury's voice was jarring, but Tony didn't step away from Rhodey. Turning his head, he pointed at Stane's body on the floor, thankfully Peter's webbing had already dissolved. Chen went immediately to the body, while Fury stopped to glare at Tony. Bucky snorted as Steve buried his face in his neck and laughed.

"I found Stane, Director. Did you know he was HYDRA?" Tony asked as Rhodey released him. "Surprised the fuck out of me."

Rhodey ignored Fury and followed Chen across the living room. Allowing Tony to focus on Fury, who's eyes were taking in the scene. Tony suspected the spy knew about the Sonic Taser Stane had stolen, Howard having designed it while he was still with SHIELD.

"He's dead," Chen confirmed. "Bit down on a cyanide capsule, if the foaming at the mouth is any indication."

"Yes," Tony answered, one hand going up to the tap on the reactor. "He was trying to rip this out of my chest, but Bucky and I were able to take him down."

Bucky pulled away from Steve and moved to stand next to Tony. "He subdued us with some type of sound device, but we were able to overcome it after a few minutes. Once we had him pinned down, He admitted to putting the hit out on Tony with the Ten Rings, before he bit down and died."

Tony nodded in agreement. "What ever he did, also temporarily took out my AI and disrupted the electronics in the penthouse."

"Sounds like some kind of an EMP," Chen suggested as he did a quick pat search of Stane's jacket and removed a semi-automatic handgun from somewhere. "Well, he seems to have been well prepared." The man stood and looked at Tony. "Am I clear to bring up our evidence team and removal?"

"Yes, of course."

Tony turned back toward Fury, only to find him in a stare down with Steve. SAC Chen stepped into the foyer to make a call and Fury swung toward Tony.

"Son of a bitch!" Fury hissed, only to be interrupted by Steve, in full Captain America mode.

"Language, Directory Fury," he said with a smirk. "There are children here."

Tony truly thought they'd gone too far and actually caused Fury to have an aneurism, but the man was smart enough to take a deep breath. His eyes flitted between Steve and Bucky, before landing on Tony. He took a step toward Tony, only to have Steve and Bucky suddenly in between them.

"We are going to have a conversation, Stark, very soon." Fury spat, well, furiously before spinning on his heel and heading for the elevator.

"Fury!" Tony called, waiting for him to turn around. "Make an appointment and bring Agent with you!"

The three stood silently, shoulder to shoulder, with Chen's voice a soft mutter from the other room. They waited until the elevator door closed before moving.

"I'll check for bugs," Bucky announced.

"I'll go keep the boys company," Steve moved to the hallway. "No sense letting too many people see me yet."

Tony watched them, wondering if now was a good time for a panic attack.

Despite all the upheavals they had experienced in the past month, the science camp went off without a hitch. The children had been enthusiastic and several were lightyears ahead of the others their age. Despite the differences in levels, there were enough chaperones to assess the kids and get them to their areas of interest. Peter was able to move through several of the groups, with his interests in physics, bio-chemistry, and electronics. Ned joined him in electronics, but really excelled at computer sciences. Harley, as Tony had suspected, was good at physics, electronics, and mechanical engineering.

Tony made a point to meet Harley when he arrived at the Compound, with the other children who had flown in. He'd recognized the boy instantly, with his large expressive eyes and mop of brown hair. His sass was already developing at seven and a half, and by the time he'd left at the end of the week, Harley was calling him "Mechanic". Peter had adopted him as a little brother, much like he had when the two had met after the battle in Germany. As had Ned, once he found out Harley's abilities, especially with his skill at free-lance Lego building.

Adding Harley and his sister to the list of kids they would home school, Tony knew he'd have to find a way to get their mother to New York City. The mother apparently ran the diner in Rose Hill, maybe he could hire her to manage the cafeteria at Stark Tower. Or perhaps help his personal chef until the Tower was finished. He would have to get Happy to start the background checks on the woman.

Another thing to add to his already insane list of things they needed to do. Bucky's arm replacement was next, then the HYDRA weapons in the bunker, open Howard's strong box, see if they could locate Bruce—

Tony refrained from sighing, cleared his mind, and lay meditating for several minutes, trying to stop the whirls of thoughts in his brain from turning. Rolling over, he snuggled behind Pepper, sliding one hand over her waist and down to cup the not-yet-there bump of their baby.

Chapter Text

Tony expected the nightmare in the aftermath of Stane's attack, he really did, but he didn't expect it to hit a week later or turn into a night terror. The Stane incident, as the media was calling it, had received widespread coverage, but was quickly chased off the 24-hour news rounds by the newest celebrity cheating scandal. Pepper was in Los Angeles for another day with Happy and Ben. Rhodey had been sent on a surveillance mission by General Clarke and would be back tomorrow as well.

As soon as they were back, everyone was gathering for a meeting to update their overall status. They had several pressing items to roundtable, things which were adding to Tony's stress levels. And perhaps it was a combination of all these factors which sent his mind into a downward spiral.

Tony opened his eyes to Stane bending over him in the Malibu house, using something to pull the arc reactor from his chest. Aguish and the deep-seated pain of betrayal were debilitating, Tony frozen in place as his father's long-time friend went on about how pathetic and unlovable he was. Even worse, was having Stane walk out the front door, leaving Tony to die alone, in agony, as the first pieces of shrapnel sliced into his heart.

Then, in an inexplicable shift, Tony was in an all too familiar bunker in Siberia, a grainy black and white video playing in front of him. However, he seemed to be watching from above, as if he wasn't a part of the scene.

The same anguish and betrayal tore at Tony, even more painful this time. He could feel the disbelief and pain, but they were quickly overwhelmed by a feeling of sheer rage as Steve Rogers lied to him. Watching that fury take over his own face, startled Tony with its ferocity. It was an expression he'd never seen himself have, and he watched himself turned on Steve, hitting him as hard as he could. A noise distracted Tony and he glanced at Bucky. He could see tears well up and overflow from the man's eyes, sorrow and terror in them as Bucky watched the man whose family he'd been forced to kill. Tony froze. His own actions in turning toward Bucky with murder in his eyes had triggered the ingrained Winter Soldier reactions, and he watched as the terrible fight began.

Desperation and determination seemed to possess Steve, as much as rage fueled Tony's actions, and terror drove Bucky's response. He watched as Bucky tried to get away, tried not to respond to Tony's increasing ferocity, and how Steve's became obsessed with destroying Tony, his pupils swirling with red. Horrified at the sight, grief began to grow in his chest and Tony tried to cry out, tried to call to Bucky, reaching out for him—"

"Tony!"

Jolted as he fell to his knees, Tony found himself sobbing, scrapes stinging his palms as he struggled to get through the living room. Bucky was on his knees in front of him, reaching toward him slowly, as if unsure of what he was doing. Tony didn't hesitate, throwing himself into Bucky's arms.

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize! I didn't see it! I'm so, so sorry!" Tony babbled, trying to stifle his sobs.

Bucky pulled Tony against his chest and he slumped, boneless, as strong arms held him up. "Tony? What the hell? JARVIS said you were yelling for me?"

Tony could only nod as he tried to reign in his emotions, his chest aching with emotion. "Night—nightmare…"

"The snap?"

Tony shook his head as he tried to take a deep breath, tightening the arms he had somehow wrapped around Bucky's waist.

"Siberia," Steve guessed, sinking down beside them and hugging them both. "I'm sorry, Tony. I should have—"

"No!" Tony shook his head, his chest easing a little. "Won't happen!"

"We know it won't happen this time, Tony," Bucky said softly, "but we all remember and have nightmares about it, too."

"Especially since Wanda's influence was removed," Steve whispered, his arms tightening. "God, Tony, I—"

Tony snapped up. "Your eyes, Steve! They were red!" he wheezed.

"Enough." Bucky's voice was firm. "Off the floor – it's hard on my knees."

Tony found himself drawn to his feet and deposited on the couch, Bucky's arm still firmly around him. Steve disappeared into the kitchen as Tony took several deep breaths, his emotions settling and leaving only an ache in his chest. Looking over, he saw Bucky's head bowed, studying the metal hand clasped on his thigh. Tony must have made a sound, as Bucky turned his head, remorse filling his eyes.

Nudging him in the side with his elbow, Tony shook his head. "Stop it, James," he said softly, his tine serious. "You didn't cause the nightmare; in fact, it started with Stane ripping my heart out."

Bucky blinked as Tony grabbed his metal hand. "I think it was the stones," he breathed out. "I think they wanted us to know it hadn't been our fault, really, especially with at least two of us under the influence of the witch."

Two mugs of hot chocolate appeared on the table in front of them and Steve gingerly sat down on the other side of Tony. His hands cradled a mug, trembling slightly as he took a deep breath.

"Tony, do you think, uh, are the stones still – with you?"

Turning his head, Tony looked at Steve for a long moment, searching for any lingering anger or mistrust, and found none. He glanced back at Bucky, knowing the issues he was struggling with when they were first sent back. Now, he saw trust, from both of them and trusted them in turn.

Taking a deep breath, Tony let it out slowly. "I see the colors of the stones at times, usual like an aura or twinkle, but mostly just a single color, like green for the Time stone when we went to the mansion." Letting go of Bucky's hand, he picked up his mug and leaned back against the couch. "I think they are helping to guide us in the right direction."

"I see them, too," Bucky admitted, picking up his mug. "When I was unfrozen that last time in Siberia, I was really confused with how clear my mind was. I didn't know whether I should fight my way out or go along with HYDRA until I could slip away. The notebook they used to keep all the information on my programing in, had a yellow aura around it and when the programing failed, I knew I was free."

Tony nodded at explanation as he took a sip of the cooling cocoa. Steve shifted on the couch and seemed to contemplate their responses. Before Tony could ask any questions, he heard running footsteps in the hallway and managed to put his mug down before a rumpled Peter appeared.

"Dad!"

Bucky caught him as Peter threw himself at them and set him gently in Tony's lap. Wrapping his arms around the child, Tony buried his face in the tousled hair.

"How'd you know I needed a hug, bambino?"

"Spidey sense," the response was punctuated by a yawn.

Next thing Tony knew, he was laying on the couch and being covered with a soft blanket, Peter still pressed against his chest.

It was late afternoon on July 3rd when they all gathered around the main worktable in Tony's makeshift lab. He'd clean it off and brought in enough stools for everyone, as it was the room in the penthouse he could best secure. Bucky and Steve sat talking to Peter about the lowkey birthday celebrations they were planning for the next day, while May was quizzing Pepper about how she was feeling. Rhodey, Ben, and Happy were talking boxing, as Tony launched a hologram displaying their timeline. There were a few additions which Steve had added when they had gone over it, especially concerning the actives of Strike Team Delta during his time with them.

Fingers tapping on his chest, Tony studied it for a moment while the conversations around him began to quiet. There was something missing and he racked his brain trying to remember.

"What's wrong, Tony?" Rhodey asked, knowing every one of Tony's expressions.

"There's something missing here," Tony explained, pointing at the section of the timeline for the next year. "It was something Coulson said, after I'd found the new element…"

"Thor," Rhodey supplied, snapping his fingers. "That whole fiasco in New Mexico next year, if I remember right. SHIELD did a limited debriefing for the military brass after Thor and Loki almost destroyed a whole town." He shook his head. "No, not Loki – just about Thor, the context being it was our first contact with an alien being."

"When does Dr. Banner first turn into the Hulk, Dad?" Peter piped up. "I remember him fighting with a monster in Harlem after the Stark Expo."

"Oh Lord," May muttered. "I wish I could forget that night!"

Ben laughed, reaching over to pat her on the back. "I'm just glad I was assigned to Queens that night!"

Tony looked at Pepper. "Wasn't that the first part of June, right after the battle with Vanko's drones at the Expo?"

"Which was May 31st," Rhodey added, shooting Tony a stink-eye look.

Sputtering, Tony threw up his hands. "I was in California, after having to clean up the Hammer mess and working on figuring out how to synthesize more Starkanium!"

"Steve and I were both frozen, if we need excuses."

The rest laughed as Tony narrowed his eyes at Bucky. "Frosty has sass!"

Happy snorted and Tony grinned, glad they'd lightened the atmosphere a little. They had several difficult decisions to make today.

"All right," Tony watched as JARVIS added the two events to the timeline. "Anyone else have something they want to add to the timeline?"

Steve shifted slightly before turning towards Bucky. "Uh, Buck?"

Turning his head from the hologram to Steve, Bucky arched an eyebrow.

Leaning toward him, Steve swallowed hard. "What happened after you pulled me out of the Potomac? You were on the run for two years."

Bucky straightened his back, his hands curling into fists where they rested on the top of the worktable, and he took a deep breath. Tony bit his tongue on the quip he was going to throw at Steve; they needed to keep resentment and any kind of anger in the past. Bucky shot Tony a look and Tony gave him what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

"I had recognized you during the fight on the bridge," he started, his voice soft but firm. "I asked Pierce who you were and he'd reacted badly, having my memory wiped immediately. Then came the battle on the helicarrier and I knew you were pulling your punches, until you refused to fight back. That started to fracture the programming, but—," his voice cracked, "when you said 'I'm with you to the end of the line', it shattered."

Steve's fingers slid over to cover Bucky's flesh hand.

"After I pulled you out of the water, I stood looking at you for a minute, and realized that I wasn't just the weapon HYDRA had made me into. I had been someone, a real person, at some point in my life, someone who Captain America called his friend, and I wanted to find that person."

Peter slid a bottle of water over to Bucky, who gave him a smile of thanks, before pausing to take a drink. Tony kept one eye on the timeline and the other on Bucky.

"I remembered a safehouse in Baltimore and made my way there. It was easy enough to strip it of cash, clothes, and identification papers. I loaded the weapons I found into the trunk of a car and headed north. I quietly cleared out several other HYDRA caches in a random pattern, figured the bastards owed me the money after what they had forced me to do. The weapons I would drop off at the back gates of different military installations, ones where there were no cameras. It took me six months, but I managed to make my way to Romania, where I spoke the language and knew I could hide out for a while."

Pausing to take another drink, Bucky looked around the table. "I was done with killing, but I kept several handguns in the event HYDRA caught up with me, as I was never going to let them take me back. One of the first things I did was slip into a store for supplies and bought a journal. Every time a memory surfaced, I would write it down. I had sections for early memories, wartime memories, and for what HYDRA had done to me. I read a lot, trying to catch up on what I had missed, especially socially and culturally, as HYDRA had made sure I was knowledgeable about technology and electronics. Which is why I knew I couldn't buy a cellphone or try to contact anyone.

I worked part-time as a mechanic at a garage in Bucharest, and was keeping as low a profile as I could when I found Steve in my apartment. The rest you already know about, but I know I didn't hurt anyone in those two years, although there were a few close calls – usually with Steve and his new wingman, but also couple of times HYDRA got close." Bucky fell silent, taking a deep breath.

"And he's already provided a list of all the safehouses, biolabs, and HYDRA stronghold that he remembered." Rhodey added, with a nod to Bucky.

"For some reason, I would have thought you'd start a scorched earth campaign against the assholes," Ben interjected, a thoughtful look on his face.

Bucky smirk and closed his hand tightly around Steve's. "There was no need, this punk did that for me. Besides, it was more satisfying to use their ill-gotten gains against them. No one was going to expect the Asset to be chartering private planes or riding in private train cars."

Tony threw his head back and laughed, knowing it was a perfect way to travel – no one ever asked questions if you had enough money. "That must have been some stash of money!"

Bucky continued to smirk as he gave a nod. "Millions, actually."

"I wonder how much they are syphoning off of SHIELD funds," Pepper mused. "And how much they are making on their own, through various nefarious activities."

"Make a note to relay our suspicious to Agent, J," Tony instructed, settling on his stool. "So, first priority on the list is to get Bucky a new arm."

JARVIS brought up a hologram of the new arm, with the black color scheme he's received in Wakanda, but with dark grey accents instead of the gold, to make it a bit more subtle.

"It's a mixture of Adamantium, Starkanium, and a bit of Vibranium I was able to find in Howard's workshop when we were there." Tony worked not to slip into lecture mode. "It won't be as strong as the one Shuri crafted, but pretty damn close."

He turned to May, who moved around the worktable to stand behind Bucky, a light hand on his prosthetic shoulder. "I'm a little concerned with the nerve interface between this arm and Bucky's nervous system." JARVIS brought up the scan of the arm and zoomed into the shoulder area. "HYDRA obviously didn't care whether the arm caused constant pain, as long as it was functional for their Asset."

Bucky winced and, to Tony's surprise, May leaned forward and kissed the back of his head like he was Peter. Tony stifled a snort at the blush that heated the former assassin's cheeks.

"If you look here," May directed them to a point at the top of Bucky's ribcage, "and here, it looks like supports for the arm were somehow affixed directly to his skeleton, and somehow integrated into his nervous system. With this in mind, I've gotten an appointment for us with Metro-General's top team of neurosurgeons, Drs. Strange and Palmer, who have invented a new technique which they might be able to use with Bucky."

Everyone but Ben groaned.

"When?" Happy grunted out, making a note in his phone.

"Next Monday at 10am," Bucky answered. "May, Tony, and I are going."

"I think Peter and I will tag along," Steve announced, getting a nod from the child.

"The more the merrier," Tony muttered as May rolled her eyes.

As she explained some of the issues with the surgery on Bucky's shoulder, Tony looked over the rest of the list. May Parker continued to impress him with her intelligence and drive. She had enrolled in online courses since they came back, on the fast track to get her Physician's Assistant certification. It would allow her to diagnose and treat minor injuries and illnesses, as well as prescribe most medications. She was also studying the topics needed to become certified as a midwife, in the event Pepper needed her.

"What about anesthesia?" Steve asked, interlacing his fingers with Bucky's as he frowned.

Both Tony and Bucky shivered; definitely had to have something, Tony thought.

"Either a nerve or spinal block, whichever will work best with Bucky's metabolism." May brow furrowed, as if she'd just thought of something. "We may want to have the doctors sign a NDA, Tony, so we can explain everything they need to know."

"Already planned on it, May." Tony had legal drawing up the paperwork, specifically to protect both Bucky and Steve, until they were ready to announce them to the public. "The lawyers are also quietly getting certified copies of both their birth certificates, all their military records, social security cards, and any family records which can be found."

"Do you have a plan?" Steve asked curiously.

"Well, we have a meeting next week with the oversight committee, Thursday the 9th, just before the meeting with Fury and Coulson. My thoughts were to introduce Steve to them and see what their thoughts were on bringing him into what we've been trying to do, quietly. We have already provided them with the proof that HYDRA is still operating and needs to be eradicated."

"Invite the President," Rhodey suggested. "He was briefed on the situation and I mentioned the annual Artic search going on."

"What about Bucky?" Peter asked, looking at the silent man. "He should be cleared, too."

Tony was proud of him and flashed him a smile. "The kid's not wrong."

"And he was still in the Army when he was captured!" Peter added.

"Which would mean a military tribunal should be the one to decide whether he is tried or pardoned, despite it being sixty some years since he fell," Ben stated. "There have been other cases where POWs were weaponized, and they were all exonerated."

"How about we get Steve introduced first, before we bring me into the mix." Bucky told them.

"What about the HYDRA weapons?" Steve inquired.

Tony looked at him and then around the table. "Are we ready to go there yet? I mean, I'd liked to go through Howard's journals first and see what he has to say."

"I think you're right, Tony. We need to take this slow, especially where the weapons are concerned," Pepper was the voice of reasoning. "It's well known they were made based on the Tesseract, but we don't know, at this point, where the stone is. I'd hate for SHIELD, or HYDRA for that matter, to get their hands on them."

"Lay the ground work on HYDRA with the committee, like we did with Coulson," Bucky instructed in a quiet voice. "We have me as proof of their existence."

"I agree," Steve spoke up. "And we can give them a list of SHIELD agents that we know are loyal."

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, nodding in agreement. "We know Fury, Coulson, Hill, Clint, Natasha, and Sharon Carter weren't HYDRA."

"That's a start, at least." Rhodey offered.

"JARVIS, make a note of them and keep an eye on that bird guy, too."

"Bird guy?" Steve frowned, as if trying to connect a memory.

"Sam Wilson," Rhodey supplied. "I think he's deployed at the moment."

"Afghanistan," Steve answered. "He has the EXO wings."

"Anyone else we should keep an eye on?" Tony asked as JARVIS displayed a picture of Wilson and his wingman, Riley.

"MJ?" Peter put in softly. "Michelle Jones-Watson."

JARVIS immediately added the name to their watch list.

"How about the insect guy?" Rhodey suggested. "Ant-man and we probably should keep an eye on Hank Pym and his daughter, too."

"The Wakandan Royal family," Bucky said.

"Should we do anything about Maya Hansen, Killian, or AIM?" Peper wondered.

Happy scowled. "And that asshole, Quentin Beck, too."

"Add them to the algorithm, JARVIS," Tony instructed. "Let us know if anything unusual pops up, including exploding people."

"Sir?"

"Also, any reference to Extremis or Hammerdroids," Tony continued.

"As you wish, Sir." The AI sounded a little salty to Tony's ear.

He rubbed his hands together before taking in a deep breath. "Not that I want to revisit that godforsaken bunker anytime soon, but do we need to start planning some way to deal with the other Super Soldiers?"

"You didn't include that in the list of HYDRA facilities?" Rhodey asked.

Bucky shook his head. "It's too dangerous. They aren't redeemable and anyone who goes after them must be aware of that. I know Zemo executed all five of them, but there aren't many people who would do that."

"Just blow the whole bunker to Hell," Tony suggested, tapping his fingers on the reactor. "Any chance they'll defrost any of them in this timeline?"

"I don't think so," Bucky responded, looking at where he and Steve's fingers were still interlaced. "The original order came down from Pierce's predecessor, so only he can countermand it."

"Unless someone decided to go rogue," Rhodey said.

"Let's put it on the "sometime soon" list," Steve told them. "I'd have to guess the site was already under surveillance?"

"It is, Captain Rogers."

"Do we have facial recognition software refined to a point that it can be instilled in the Tower?" Ben asked, meeting Tony's eyes. "I know I saw a demonstration of the Viola-Jones algorithm method this spring, but they didn't think it would be ready to deploy for a few more years."

"JARVIS has a refined version of similar software, but let's put it on the list to see if we can add it to all the cameras. We can use the ones here to test it out."

"I can help!" Peter told him, excited.

"Of course, kiddo!"

"Tony?"

He turned toward Happy, lifting his eyebrows in question.

"Have you gone through the lockbox you brought back from the Mansion?"

Blinking, Tony slowly shook his head. "I keep meaning to, but then forget."

"Why don't we put it on the schedule?" Rhodey asked. "Like for later today and start going through Howard's journals at the same time."

Tony agreed with him, knowing his best friend wanted to be there when the box was opened. The meeting concluded shortly afterwards, with Ben and May getting ready to go out to dinner and Pepper headed to the bedroom to pack for a quick trip to DC on the 5th.

Left to their own devices, Tony immediately ordered pizzas and sides for the rest of them. He made sure to order salads in case May or Pepper asked. Rhodey had brought a new beer for the Super Soldiers and Happy to try. Peter pouted when he wasn't allowed to try it, and sighed when Steve promised if he could get May to approve, he'd give him a taste.

Tony laughed at them as he watched, delighted just to have them all together and, for the moment, safe.

Steve and Bucky carried the lockbox into the workshop and set it on Tony's worktable. May had taken Peter to Ned's for the afternoon, while Ben and Happy were with Pepper, headed for DC. Rhodey stood beside him, having taken several days of leave over the 4th of July holiday. They had already brought the journals down and had them stacked to one side, slips of paper marking sections they thought were relevant in about half of them.

"Peter is going to be upset when he gets back," Rhodey said as Tony looked at the lock on the box.

Sighing, Tony nodded, peering at the combination lock. "I know, but we have to make sure everything is safe first. He may have his powers and his teenage brain, but he's still in an eight-year-old's body."

"Whose birthday did he use this time?" Bucky ask as he watched Tony try several sets of numbers.

After the third try, the lock clicked and Tony stood looking at it for several long moments, before answering Bucky's question. "Apparently mine."

Opening the top of the chest-like box, Tony could see a stack of file folders on one side. There was another, smaller metal box at the other end, as well as a pile of photographs and a few other items. Reaching in, Tony lifted out the first folder and handed it to Rhodey, before lifting out the second one. Steve leaned in and gave Tony a questioning look, indicating the smaller box.

"Go ahead, Steve."

Flipping open the folder, Tony was startled to see the diagram of a tube-like chamber. The words Vita Ray were written across the bottom, along with a date of January 1942. Flipping the page, Tony found the blueprints and the schematics Howard had used to build the chamber which transformed Steve into a Super Soldier.

"Tony," Rhodey gasped, his voice tight. "These appear to be Erskine's original notes on how to produce and administer the serum."

Looking up, Tony held up the file he had. "How to build and use the Vita Ray machine."

"And I think this box is made of Vibranium," Steve announced, his face pale as he held it up. "The only metal which ever felt like this, was my shield when I first picked it up."

"I can confirm, Captain Rogers, it is Vibranium," JARVIS supplied.

"Well, fuck," Bucky expressed for all of them. "I can give you a list of people who would stop at nothing to get this information."

Tony reached in and picked up a handful of the pictures, most of which were black and white photos, the corners yellowed with age. They documented the building of the chamber, Erskine at work in his laboratory, and a pre-serum Steve training at Camp Lehigh. Rhodey reached back in the box and lifted out the next file.

"I can't believe he was able to keep this all secret," Tony whispered as they all stared at the contents of the lockbox. "It's an entire build your own Super Soldier kit."

"I think it's more, Tones," Rhodey added, his eyes scanning through several pages in the new file. "These notes may be Zola's originals in German and what he did to the 107th at Anzano. There are even more in English, dated through the 50's—"

"Documenting what he did to me?" Bucky's voice broke at the end and Steve wrapped an arm around his waist.

Rhodey nodded, face pale. "I don't see your name, but there are references to the Asset and Winter Soldier."

"Tony," Steve interjected, holding out the smaller box. "I can't figure out how this opens."

Setting everything in his hands back into the lockbox, Tony gingerly took the box Steve held out to him. He carefully turned it around, looking for any type of button or latch which would open it, but there wasn't even an outside hinge on it. The only thing Tony could find was a small indentation near the edge of what appeared to be the top. There was only one thing that occurred to him.

"I think this may be a fingerprint reader," he told them, setting the box down on the worktable. "Although, I'm not sure when Howard would have gotten my—"

As he spoke, Tony pressed his thumb into the indentation and even his jaw dropped as the front of the box slid out, exposing an old-fashioned ampoule of clear blue liquid and what looked to be an IV bag of a similar blue liquid. Tony could only stare at what he held in his hands. His chest tightened as he forgot to breathe and almost dropped the box as green and blue sparkles surrounded it.

"It's sparkling—" Tony gasped out, staring.

"Holy fuck!" Rhodey gasped, before he grabbed Tony’s arm. "Tones! Deep breath! Come on, man, breathe!"

Concentrating, Tony drew in a deep breath and gingerly set the box down on his work table, but found his hands were shaking. Steve reached over and gently helped him slide the box onto the surface. Rhodey eased him back onto a stool, keeping a hand on his shoulder to ground him. Moderating his breathing, Tony looked up to see Bucky’s arm slung around Steve’s waist as the two men stared at the box, as well.

"We have to separate these, at least," Bucky said forcefully. "Or destroy them, but no one can ever know what we found."

"Agreed," Steve answered. "HYDRA would do anything to get these." He waved a hand over the table.

"Not just HYDRA," Rhodey stated darkly. "Thadeous Ross, SHIELD, governments…"

Tony nodded, concentrating for a moment on just breathing. He wasn't surprised to find a sample of the serum his father had created, and lost his life for, but to have a vial of the original serum was a shock. What had Howard been doing with all this? Had he wanted to create more soldiers like Steve?

"Drink!"

Rhodey pressed a bottle of water into his hand and Tony followed his orders, draining half the bottle before he handed it back to his friend. He looked around at the lockbox, the files, and the metal case.

"Okay, Bucky's right, we need to separate these." Tony gestured at the worktable. "I will have JARVIS scan the chamber instructions to my private server – the one all our plans are saved to, and then we'll burn the notes."

Tony looked around and saw everyone nod in agreement. Reaching into the lockbox, he withdrew that file and set it to the side. Scooping up the loose photos, Tony handed them to Steve to go through, giving him the opportunity to save any of his pre-serum pictures he wanted. The rest would go with the chamber folder and be incinerated.

Bucky hung onto the Zola folder, as Tony set the serum folder on top of the metal box.
Rhodey continued to watch him, his hand still on Tony's shoulder. Tony looked up as Bucky took a step closer.

"Tony, didn't you tell us that what you heard when you were sent back included something about Howard giving you the serum as a child?"

Nodding, Tony closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated hard on the whispers he'd heard for the exact wording he'd heard. "The stones told me Space protects you through the reactor and the serum your father gave you as a child."

"Which makes sense, really," Rhodey interjected, giving Tony's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I mean, you survived chest surgery in a cave that should have killed you."

"I wonder if Howard had more than one of those vial things from Dr. Erskine," Steve mused.

"Why?" Tony asked, fingers tapping nervously on the reactor.

His face earnest, Steve shared a look with Bucky. "Because the serum taken from Howard made those other Winter Soldiers mentally unstable."

"Maybe it's in these notes?" Bucky questioned, pointing at the folder sitting onto of the Vibranium box.

Tony could only nod and hope, as he remembered what Bucky had told them about the others. "If you two can start scanning the files with JARVIS, as he can scan faster than I can turn the pages. Then we can get these other things separated, before we start researching."

"Let's start with the Vita Ray chamber, and I can shred it before we burn it," Rhodey offered.

Tony looked over his worktable, a part of his mind cataloging what raw materials he had on hand. "I'll work on fabricating something to secure the serum in the bag. I think we need to separate the two samples as well."

"We need to separate everything, Tones," Rhodey paced the length of the room, pulling a large shredder from under a counter. "The folders, the serum, everything."

"I agree, Tony," Bucky said without even looking up from the pages he was turning for JARVIS to scan.

"All right, we have the vault in Howard's lab at the mansion, the bunker at the Compound, there's a secret vault in the foundation of the Malibu house, and I plan to have one added to the Tower once it's done." Tony listed off the viable locations.

"I think we should repackage the serum," Steve suggested. "And replace it with colored water."

Tony pulled his attention from his swirling thoughts and grinned at Steve. "That's actually a brilliant idea, Cap! We can decant it into glass or crystal, either of which should keep it stable." He looked at the others. "I want to keep the Erskine serum close to hand, though."

Rhodey stopped in front of him, just as Bucky closed the chamber folder. Steve had just started turning pages from the Erskine file. All three of them turned to look at him.

"Why, Tones?"

Squeezing his eyes shut for a long moment, mashing down his emotions, Tony opened them and looked at each in turn. "We may need it. You guys," he pointed at Bucky and Steve, "are Super Soldiers, I apparently was dosed when I was younger, Peter has his own version, and we think Pepper still has the Extremis I modified. Which means Rhodey, May, Ben, and Happy are vulnerable." He met Rhodey's brown eyes. "I don't think I could take you getting hurt again, Honey Bear—"

Rhodey leaned closer and slung an arm around his shoulders. "We'll need to understand everything we can about the serum and, like May suggested, do some blood tests. It wouldn't do to have it pop up in a random test the Air Force wants me to have."

"I agree with both of you," Steve threw over his shoulder. "Let's learn everything we can first and then decide as a group."

Bucky pulling the shredder closer, made an affirmative sounding grunt and Tony laughed. With an approving nod, Rhodey moved to show Bucky how to use the machine and Tony pulled the lockbox toward him. He wanted to make sure they had gotten everything out. His mind worked on the problem of a glass container while he set the folders to one side, scooped out the few stray photos, and gave a cheer when he found an empty ampoule at the bottom of the box.

"This will make this easier!" Tony crowed, handing the vial to Rhodey.

Bucky stood starring down at the vial of serum in the Vibranium box, before snapping his fingers. "I know what we can use as the replacement!"

He headed for the door as the others looked at each other. "JARVIS secure the room behind me, please."

Tony and Rhodey both turned their incredulous stares on Steve, who didn't even look up from flipping pages rapidly. "Don't look at me, fellas, that weirdness is all Barnes."

Shaking his head, Rhodey grabbed the chamber file and moved to the shredder just as Bucky came back, a bottle of blue liquid in his hand. Tony narrowed his eyes at it.

"Is that mouthwash?"

Smirking, Bucky nodded and held the bottle next to the small box – the color was almost identical. Rhodey snorted as Tony rolled his eyes and he knew Steve had to be grinning. Laughing under his breath, Tony pulled the empty vial out of the lockbox and headed toward the small sink at the back of the room with Bucky following. It took the two of them a few minutes to figure out how to open and then pour the mouthwash into the ampoule. Once they had, Tony had to agree the color was almost a perfect match. Bucky, using the tip of his metal finger, was able to scratch a tiny mark on the metal cap, denoting it was the fake.

By the time May and Peter returned late that afternoon, bringing Thai take out from her favorite restaurant, all the files had been scanned, the lockbox repacked with fake ampoule and a folder of altered notes on the manufacturing of the serum. Steve had taken the photos he wanted and Tony didn't say anything when Bucky swiped a picture of pre-serum Steve. The chamber file had been shredded and taken to the basement of the building, where they were incinerated in the boilers. The Vibranium box was hidden in the abdominal compartment of the almost completed upgrade of the latest Iron Man suit, with both the serums inside. The folder of Zola's notes was still sitting on the worktable; Bucky and Tony were going to go through it, with Steve's help, to see if there was information which would help exonerate Bucky.

Bringing the food down to the workshop, Tony and the others described what they had found in the lockbox. When Tony mentioned finding the serum, Peter paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth and cocked his head. As Tony described what they had determined about the two samples, Peter set the chopsticks down slowly and Tony could almost see his bursting with questions. He finally nodded at the kid.

"Ask your question, Roo."

Peter leaned in, his sixteen-year-old brain plainly in charge. "So, the original Erskine serum was produced in 1942 or 1943 and the one Mr. Stark made up was sometime around 1991, right? That makes one of them sixty-six years old and the other one eighteen years old."

Tony looked at Steve and then gave Peter a nod.

"Yet, we're assuming both of the samples are still viable?"

Rhodey snorted and Bucky gave Peter a side-eye look, leaning toward Steve. "Did the kid just imply we're old?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Uncle Steve just turned ninety-one." He smirked and shrugged.

"Smart—" Bucky started, but Tony cut him off, smirking.

"We don't know for certain, Pete, and I'm not really sure we want to devote any time right now to them."

"Especially not the serum Howard produced," Bucky replied, gesturing at Peter with his chopsticks. "We are positive it was the batch used to make the other Winter Soldiers, which caused them to be over-aggressive and mentally unstable."

Steve pushed his plate away and crossed his arms over his chest. "We were talking about just destroying that one and not taking a chance on it falling into the wrong hands."

May gave them a considering look. "Let's pull out two small vials of the bad serum and store them. Once Dr. Banner comes on board, he may have some idea on how to analyze the base ingredients."

"Why would you even want to know?" Rhodey asked, his eyes curious.

Huffing, May turned to Bucky. "You want to answer that, Bucky?"

"Because someone else managed to manufacture a version of the serum a couple years after the battle," Bucky sighed. "A group who opposed the world going back to the way it was, started creating more enhanced people to fight their battle."

"Well shit!" Steve muttered, shaking his head.

"Language!" the rest of them chorused.

"You're never going to let that go, are you," Steve let his head fall to the table.

Once Pepper, Happy, and Ben had returned, the lockbox had been taken back to the vault in the mansion, with the falsified notes and the fake ampoule. Tony had peaked into the garage to check on Grant Carter's SUV, however, the garage was empty. An encrypted hard drive containing Erskine and Zola's notes was flown to the Compound site in the middle of the night by Tony and Rhodey, enclosed in a biometrically protected Adamantium box. They hid it underneath the furthest rack of HYDRA blasters, encrypting it so only Tony or Bucky could open the box.

The ampoule with the original serum and another encrypted hard drive was also put into a smaller Vibranium box Tony fashioned and had been put into a larger Adamantium box, hidden behind JARVIS' temporary servers in Tony's penthouse workshop. A large reenforced concrete and Kevlar saferoom had been added to the plans for Stark Tower, where the box would ultimately reside. The two small samples of the faulty serum were hiding in plain sight, part of a locked medication storage unit in their makeshift exam room in the penthouse.

Sunday night, Tony laid curled around Pepper, his mind drifting as he tried to fall asleep. They had all decided to have a low-key weekend, as the week would start with Bucky's medical appointment, Thursday morning was the committee meeting, and the meeting with Coulson and Fury that afternoon. It was likely going to be a hard few days, on top of the list of other worries he had, He sighed quietly.

An image of baby Morgan, laughing and waving her arms, popped into his head and Tony couldn't help but smile. Warmth pooled in his chest and Tony slipped into sleep as he imagined his daughter with their expanded family.

Chapter Text

Monday morning came early; Pepper, Happy, and Ben left for the airport at 6am for their morning meeting in Washington, DC. Bucky's appointment was at 10am at Metro-General, across town, meaning they should leave the penthouse by 9am. Tony had gotten up to see the others off, and was sipping his coffee when Steve and Bucky appeared for breakfast. Tony glanced at Bucky to see a wide grin on his face, making him lower his mug to shoot a look at Steve, who was blushing fiercely. Tony couldn't help the smirk on his face.

"I take it your birthday date last night went well?" he inquired innocently to Steve.

Bucky hummed as he poured out coffee for the both of them.

Steve sat down opposite him, studying the tabletop. "It was very nice, Tony, thank you."

Bucky carried the mugs over to the table and set them down. "The Stonewall was amazing, just like I remembered it! Tony, thanks for the suggestion."

Tony just kept grinning, unable to believe, after everything he'd gone through in two lives, Steve Rogers could still blush about sex. Peter came bouncing in, changing the atmosphere in the room as he gave each of them a hug, before dropping into a seat. Getting up, Tony pulled the pancakes and bacon he'd cooked earlier out of the warming oven and made Peter a plate, grabbing the syrup as he carried it out to the table.

"Pancakes!" Steve jumped up, brushing by Tony, and headed into the kitchen for his own.

They all managed to eat and get dressed by the time JARVIS said they needed to leave. May met them in the garage, where Bucky decided the reenforced van would be the best vehicle to take. While most of Tony's cars were bulletproof, the van was also able to hold Steve's shield and Tony's suit. Tony had added sensors and enhanced controls for JARVIS to be able to drive the vehicle if they were incapacitated. Peter liked it best, because of the bathroom, he suspected.

They pulled up to the doctors' entrance in the parking garage, the most secure entrance the hospital had for the sprawling campus. Security greeted them as they stepped out of the van and escorted them up the employees' elevator to Doctor Palmer's office. May stepped forward as they were met by a woman dressed in blue surgical scrubs, who ushered them into a room. The room was larger than most exam rooms Tony had seen, with a computer station, desk, and rolling chair on one side and an examination bed on the other side.

"Dr. Palmer will be right with you." The nurse announced as she backed out of the room.

Tony grabbed Peter's hand and headed for one of the plastic chairs just inside the door, lifting Peter into his lap. May sat beside him, while Steve sat next to Bucky on the bed. They had barely settled, when the door was opened again, and a familiar figure stepped into the room.

"Hi, Doctor Strange!" Peter chirped with a wide smile.

Stephen Strange stopped and stared at Peter, before focusing on Tony, his expression surprised. Tony almost groaned when he saw green sparkles around Strange's head. The doctor shook his head once and stepped fully into the room. He scanned the room with narrowed eyes before he focused in on Peter.

"Good morning, young man," Strange nodded at the boy, before meeting Tony's eyes. "Which of you is the patient?"

Tony smothered a grin as Bucky held up his metal hand.

"I am, Dr. Strange."

Before Strange could answer, the door opened again and a brunette in scrubs covered by a lab coat stepped in. Tony recognized Christine Palmer and stood, setting Peter on his feet. Steve and Bucky followed suit.

"Oh, there you are, Stephen!" she exclaimed, before turning to Tony and extending her hand.

"Hello, Dr. Stark, it’s good to see you again."

Tony vaguely remembered dancing with Palmer at a gala or two, he appreciated that she remembered him.

"Dr. Palmer," he greeted her with a smile. "Thank you so much for agreeing to see us." He gestured toward May. "This is May Parker, RN and PA, who is our primary clinician, and her nephew, Peter."

Steve stepped forward, extending his hand to Palmer. "I’m Steve Rogers—"

"And I’m your patient, James Barnes," Bucky gave her a shy smile.

Palmer shook his hand and moved to stand beside Strange. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you." She opened the file folder in her hand as Strange crossed his arms over his chest. "Now, from the history May has forwarded to us, Mr. Barnes has a prosthetic which was attached in an unorthodox manner and needs to be replaced."

Bucky hesitate a moment, shooting Tony a glance before he spoke. "I lost my arm in a fall and was operated on without consent. The shoulder implant causes constant pain and Tony has made me a better, lighter arm."

"Which is incompatible with the current shoulder mount," Tony followed up, taking a thumb drive from his pocket. "I had scans done of Bucky’s shoulder, left side, and brain, as we don’t know how the arm was interfaced with his nervous system."

Scowling, Strange took a step forward. "How far did you fall?" He eyed Bucky. "And don't tell me you fell from a train!"

Wincing at the hopefully unintentional cruelty, Tony opened his mouth to intercede, but Peter beat him to it.

"You're supposed to be smart, Dr. Strange. Didn't you even read the NDA?" Peter's tone was scathing.

Strange frowned, the green sparkles reappearing, and he seemed ready to deliver the sarcastic response that Tony remembered him capable of, but Steve cut him off.

"Perhaps," he began in what Peter called his Captain America voice. "You need to review the file. I am Captain Steve Rogers and this is James Buchanan Barnes, who fell from a train, in the Alps, in 1945." Steve settled a hand lightly on Bucky's left shoulder. "Bucky fell hundreds of feet into a river canyon and lost most of his arm in the fall. Those who found him forcibly made the alterations to his body."

Palmer stepped into the tense silence. "I'm sorry, Stephen didn't mean to offend anyone, we are just curious as to the degree of the original injury and how this prosthetic was attached."

"I not sure, ma'am." Bucky answered her, keeping his face and tone respectful. "I woke up to them removing what remained of my arm with a saw, before I went unconscious again due to the pain. When I woke up again, the metal mount had already been attached to me."

May stood up, hip checked Tony, causing him to sit back down, and stepped forward. "Before you ask, Dr. Strange, we will provide you with all the pertinent information – it was just too sensitive to give you a copy. Also, you may wonder why we sought you both out instead of an orthopedist, it's because we need someone who will understand the interface between Bucky's nervous system and the prosthetic."

Both doctors looked stunned and Strange stepped closer to Bucky, as May and Palmer went to the computer.

"I'd like to see the shoulder, Mr. Barnes," Strange looked around the room. "I'm sure everyone will understand giving you a little privacy."

"It's fine, Dr. Strange," Bucky told him, standing up again. "This is my family and I'm fine taking off my shirt in front of them."

Strange gave him a nod and stepped back. Peter had moved to lean against Tony's leg and they watched Steve help Bucky ease out of the shirt, before sitting back down on the exam table. Strange moved closer, reaching to touch Bucky's shoulder, but paused until Bucky nodded. Steve stood to the side, Bucky's shirt draped over his arm, watching.

They all watched as Strange closely examined where flesh met metal and the thick, ropey scars there. Despite his arrogant asshole act, Strange's hands were gentle as he manipulated Bucky's arm to see how the muscles in his shoulder responded. Tony watched as Strange moved to check the movement of the shoulder blade and quietly ask Bucky questions. May and Palmer walked back to join the rest of them, May's tablet now displaying a hologram of JARVIS' scan of the way the arm was attached.

"Stephen, a couple of factors which might impact our surgery strategy are Mr. Barnes is a Super Soldier, much like Captain Rogers, although a different serum. He has an advanced healing factor, one that might interfere with a long procedure." Palmer leaned closer to look at the shoulder implant. "I'm speculating we would need to adjust the dosage of anesthetic we would need to keep him under—"

"One of the anesthetic gasses," Strange cut her off. "He'd burn through anything we injected too quickly. Although, we would need to know just how fast the healing factor is," he trailed off. "Mr. Barnes, do you remember what anesthetic might have been used on you while you were in captivity?"

Tony saw Bucky swallow, knowing most of the time HYDRA hadn't bothered to use anything. They, like the Ten Rings, had no compulsion to make the man comfortable or even pain-free during their experimentation. Steve's hand tightened on Bucky's good shoulder as he cleared his throat.

"Most of the time, HYDRA would make modifications while I was in cryofreeze, so I would wake up to find—differences in my arm."

That actually made sense, cryo-surgery would keep Bucky under and compliant during the procedure. He caught the thoughtful look on Peter's face ad knew they were both thinking the same thing.

"If I might," Tony interjected. "Hasn't there been some study on cooling the body before performing certain delicate surgeries?"

Bucky winced and Tony knew he, like Tony, hated being cold. May, however, took an opportunity to mention a combination of spinal block and lowering Bucky's body temperature to hypothermic levels. She enlarged the hologram, showing the two doctors what she had shown the rest of them the past weekend. She pointed out the structural points where the shoulder mount had been anchored and where May believed the nerve interfaces were concentrated.

"Mr. Barnes?" Strange studied the illustration, turning back to Bucky with a frown. "On a scale of one to ten, on much daily pain does the arm cause you?"

Refusing to look at any of them, Bucky hesitated for a moment, before answering. "Probably a six to seven."

Tony wasn't the only one who winced at Bucky's honesty, one hand coming up to rub at the arc reactor embedded in his chest. Knowing what if was like to live with constant pain, Tony's respect for the man jumped up another notch. A glance at Strange showed he understood Bucky's response.

"Do you have x-rays of the shoulder and left torso, May?" Palmer asked, her hands gently manipulating the flesh area around the mount. "If the healing factor is anything like what Captain Roger's was documented as, we need a way to keep the incision open long enough to reposition or replace the nerve interfaces."

Peter pushed off Tony's leg and headed toward his aunt. "Aunt May, would the medical webbing Dad patented for me, work to hold the incision open?"

Tony, still watching Strange, saw the man frown before green and red sparkles danced around his forehead. Straightening in his chair, Tony watched as Strange shook his head, hard. Was it possible that Strange would ultimately remember, he wondered? Maybe once he became a wizard?

"Medical webbing?" Palmer asked.

"Think of it like a temporary mesh which could hold open an incision, then it's dissolved with a neutralizer," Tony interjected, holding his hand out to Peter. "The little guy is a prodigy with chemical compounds."

"We'll take that into consideration." Strange waved him off. "I think it would be best to relieve the strain on the shoulder until we can make arrangements for the surgery."

Tony tried his best not to react to almost-sorcerer's highhanded tone. "I can take the arm off whenever Bucky wants me to."

"Not until the surgery," Bucky retorted. "I don't want to be unarmed and vulnerable in the meantime."

Steve snorted at Bucky's faux pas, just as Tony's phone vibrated in a pattern that meant JARVIS needed to speak to him immediately. He got up and made eye contact with Steve, before slipping out the door. He slipped on his glasses and waited for a heartbeat as the HUD powered up.

"Sir, a tracking device was just attached to the van," JARVIS announced and a video began to run.

The grainy CCTV footage from the hospital garage showed a man dressed in black, stepped out of the shadows from the garage itself, keeping the van between himself and the security guard. The man slid underneath the van and was gone in less than a moment.

"The man appeared to be dressed in tactical gear, Sir. Likewise, the tracker is standard SHIELD issue, but transmitting on the same unknown frequency as the device found in the penthouse."

Swearing under his breath, Tony sent a quick text to Rhodey, who he hoped was out of his meeting. "J, get me Fury – I don’t carry how you do it but get him on the line! Fucking STRIKE!"

HYDRA had apparently always been interested in Tony, from what he learned during the original SHIELD data dump and confirmed when the hit on Howard had come out. Bucky had added anything he remembered, but as merely the weapon, he hadn't been privy to many of the details or the backstories of his missions or victims. Stark's weapons and technology were of primary interest, he knew, and Tony himself was deemed someone to not to engage.

"How the fuck did you get this number?" Fury snapped without preamble as the phone was answered.

Tony didn't have time for spy games. "A member of STRIKE Team Delta has put a tracker on my transport vehicle, Fury, using standard issue SHIELD equipment, but broadcasting on what I suspect is a HYDRA frequency. I'd be willing to bet you Stillwell just got a phone call and ducked out!"

The silence on the other end was the confirmation Tony needed and, seeing a rainbow of colors behind his closed eyes, he forged on. "I need Coulson, Barton, and Romanoff at Met-General, in a Quinjet if possible – my kid and his aunt need evac back to the penthouse. Two of them can ride with us—"

"Against a STRIKE—"

"You should be aware of who is with me, Fury!" Tony cut him off abruptly. "I have it on good authority, one of them alone could take out a single team on his own, in an elevator! I'm less worried about HYDRA's capabilities, than I am of luring them out to a less populated area. Fucking Nazis don't care about collateral damage."

There was a heavy sigh. "I'll have all three of them on the helipad in less than ten, but we will be having a conversation, Stark!"

"Yeah, yeah – already on the books!" Tony grimaced as he found he was talking to a dial tone. "Fucking pirate!" he murmured as he pushed the door open.

The two doctors were conferring with May, Steve had picked Peter up, and Bucky was buttoning up his shirt. Tony caught the latter's eyes and motioned with his chin toward the door. Tony thanked both the doctors and left them to speak to May, indicating they would wait for her in the hallway.

"Tony?" Bucky asked quietly as they stepped away from the doorway. "What happened?"

Pulling out his phone, Tony had JARVIS play the video from the garage. "I'm pretty sure, based on his actions, it's HYDRA, not SHIELD."

"Yeah, that's Rollins," Bucky answered, pointing at the freezeframe JARVIS projected.

"And they're going to present themselves as SHIELD, because no one knows about HYDRA yet."

"We did give Fury a heads up, so he may have stirred something up." Steve suggested, still holding Peter.

"Or Pierce decided he was tired of waiting for an opportunity to get Bucky back," Tony told them. "It also means there is a leak at SI and possibly one here."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "I'd say SI security if I didn't know Happy better."

"But transportation got the van ready for this morning," Peter reminded them. "What are we going to do, Dad?"

"You are going to be in charge of getting your aunt safely back to the Tower, Pete," Tony said. "You have your bracelets on, right?"

Peter nodded, knowing better than to display them. "How are we going?"

Tony leaned in closer, even though JARVIS had already checked the area for devices. "Called the pirate, have a jet coming in, and the three agents we know. One will fly you and May back to the penthouse, and hopefully, Rhodey will be there already."

"And you guys will direct them away," Peter surmised. "Because you know who they are."

Reaching over, Tony ruffled his hair. "Yes, without giving them any additional information."

May stepped out of the examination room and eyed them, before heading toward the elevator. Reaching out, Tony grabbed her hand and led her to the stairwell. In a low voice, he explained what was going on, knowing all the super ears behind them would be able to hear.

"Sir, two agents had entered the elevator in the lobby," JARVIS advised. "And the CCTV has been looped on the roof."

"Send them up to the roof, J. Anyone showing interest in the van?"

"No, Sir, although the security guard has been replaced by SI security staff Mr. Hogan dispatched."

"Make sure they are wearing the new Kevlar weave uniform, JARVIS, and tell them to wait five minutes before they return to SI."

"As you wish, Sir."

Bucky took the front as they climbed the last set of stairs, a gun appearing out of somewhere as he pushed the door open. The wind whipped around them as they stepped out onto the roof, made worse by the Quinjet that was landing. Tony motioned for the others to stay where they were and stepped out from the structure toward aircraft. The ramp lowered, and Agent walked out of the jet, his gray suit impeccable. Tony watched as the man's gaze swept over him and then over to the others, standing near the wall. Hiding a smile, Tony saw the expected widening of Coulson's eyes as the latched onto Steve's face.

"Agent!" Tony made his voice sharp. "Fanboy later! We're running out of time!"

Coulson's eyes were still wide as he stopped next to Tony and cleared his throat before he spoke. "You truly believe HYDRA still exists and is targeting you, Mr. Stark.?"

Tony waved the others over. "Take a good look at my bodyguard, Agent. Doesn't he look like he belongs at Captain America's side?"

May nodded at Tony and took Peter, heading up the Quinjet ramp. Coulson watched them with a frown, before turning back to Tony. "You expect me to—"

"I don't expect anything but for you to get May and Peter back to the penthouse safely, Agent." He gestured to himself and the super duo. "Steve, Bucky, and I are going to grab Barton and Romanoff and get out of the city before we are ambushed."

"Is that—" Coulson's expression was an interesting mix of incredulous, fear, and disbelief.

"Focus, Coulson!" Steve growled, before tugging Tony toward the stairwell door, where Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were now standing.

Both spies watched them with neutral expressions but intense scrutiny as they approached. Tony bit his tongue, knowing inappropriate nicknames would just complicate things at the moment. Stepping into the elevator foyer, which JARVIS assured him was free of bugs, Tony took a deep breath as Bucky and Steve flanked him.

"Romanoff, Barton, we appreciate your coming," Tony started, noticing Natasha fixated on Bucky. "There's a HYDRA tracker on our van, we're not sure whether they just want to track our movements or what—"

Barton had straightened at the mention of HYDRA. "How do you know that?"

Blowing out a breath, Tony shared a look with Steve. "Because the night you and Romanoff put the bug in the penthouse, someone put a second bug in, SHIELD issue, like the tracker, but transmitting on an alternate frequency.

"But HYDRA—'

"Is alive and kicking, Agent Barton," Steve answered, extending his hand. "I'm Steve Rogers."

Clint took the hand. "Clint Barton." He turned toward Bucky, only to have Natasha gasp.

"Soldat," she whispered.

Bucky grimaced and reached to take Barton's hand. "Bucky Barnes."

The archer's jaw dropped. "No shit!?!"

Romanoff moved to grab Bucky's arm, spitting out something in Russian. Steve pivoted between them and Bucky answered her in a less harsh, but equally clipped tone. His own Russian was rusty and all Tony got was the Winter Soldier had known Romanoff. Just as he opened his mouth, Tony saw orange sparkles cling to Romanoff and sighed loudly. This was the first time the Soul stone had made an appearance, and if the past was any indication, what Natasha knew, Clint would know.

"Nat!" Tony snapped, just as the elevator dinged open. "You came back. Can we talk about it when we're secure and HYDRA's been dealt with?" Tony grimaced. "Please?"

Romanoff gave him a sharp nod of her head and made eye contact with Barton. It was silence until they hit the 4th floor, when Steve took half a step forward.

"Tony, let Bucky walk out first and I'll follow behind. Pause to speak to the security guard, which will cover these two getting into the van. Buck will hand you into the back and get in the driver's seat and I'll ride shotgun, getting in last."

Nodding, Tony tapped the temple piece of the glasses. "JARVIS, pop the locks as soon as the elevator door opens in the garage. Also, scan the interior as soon as I get in, for any listening devices and any anomalies."

"Yes, Sir."

Romanoff made a sharp noise as JARVIS' voice carried through the elevator. Tony ignored her as he mentally calculated the best place to head, knowing there was at least on STRIKE team waiting for them. Choosing the location of the attack gave them the upper hand and the element of surprise. It also limited HYDRA's back up response as it would take them time to get there, even in a Quinjet. Another complication was whether Fury or Coulson had done anything with the HYDRA hints they had given them. Was this an attempt to reclaim the Asset or another attempt to kidnap Tony?

The elevator settled at the bottom and the door slowly opened. Bucky stepped out and Tony could see he was on high alert as he moved forward, going immediately to the van parked in front of the security office. Tony walked behind him, his best press smile on his face as he strolled out.

"Simon!"

Tony sounded delighted to see the SI security guard. He remembered the ex-Navy Seal, who'd joined the team when they'd beefed up security after he'd returned from Afghanistan.

The guard, one hand on his gun, turned from where he was watching Bucky do a walkaround of the van, smiling when he saw Tony. "Hey, Mr. Stark! Glad to see you!"

Tony took the man's hand and shook it, distracting him from the others behind him. "Happy treating you guys all right?"

He chatted with Simon for several minutes before Bucky called his name and Tony rolled his eyes, giving the guard a shrug as he headed to the van. Steve closed the door as he climbed in, before dropping into the passenger seat. Barton and Romanoff were sitting on the floor, well below the windows as Bucky started the van and eased out of the parking garage. JARVIS plotted several routes on his HUD and lit up route 9A on the east side of the Hudson River.

"Head for the two-lane that runs along the Hudson, Buck," Tony called out. "JARVIS says it's the quickest way to get out of the densely populated areas, more open ground."

JARVIS transferred the route onto the top of the windshield and Bucky pulled a quick left, then merged into the lighter traffic headed north. Silence held in the van for fifteen minutes, until they were out of the heavy city traffic to a more moderate number of vehicles around them. Bucky had concentrated on his driving and Steve on watching both the HUD and the rear facing cameras.

"Two black SUVs about a half a mile behind us, running in tandem," Steve announced.

Tony unbuckled his seat belt and stepped over Romanoff's legs to get to the locker at the back of the van. He pressed his thumb to the fingerprint scanner, before keying in his pin number. Easier than using a retina scan in a moving vehicle. Opening the door, Tony reached in to grab Steve's shield and passed it to him, before carefully taking out the custom automatic assault rifle he'd made for Bucky.

"Stark, why aren't you dying of palladium poisoning?" Romanoff spoke for the first time since the roof.

"New element, Natalie. Why aren't you trying to embed yourself in my company?"

The bark of laughter had a bitter edge. "Like that really worked the first time." She sighed. "One of my last—thoughts, regrets, I guess, on Vormir as I fell, was that I'd never apologized to you for my mistakes; for not trusting you—even when you proved yourself over and over that you'd go to hell and back for your friends."

Bucky spat said something in a low voice, in an Eastern European language Tony couldn't readily identify. Romanoff grimaced, but didn't look away from Tony as she answered. Barton was sitting up, his eyes wide as he watched the two of them. Steve, who understood Bucky's tone, if not the words, laid a hand lightly on his forearm.

Taking a deep breath, Tony's mind wrapped itself around this surprise and what it meant for their carefully constructed plans. It also spoke to how much of a wild card Natasha was – the rest of the Time Team had bounded and had become a family; one based on truth and mutual respect. Could they trust her with everything they had discovered? And who had she told about her coming back in time? Clint was a given, but what of Coulson and Fury?

"When did you return?" he asked, his voice had lost much of its animosity, knowing what she had sacrificed for all of them.

"Physically?" Romanoff shot him a look and he nodded. "Day you got back from your spa trip to Afghanistan."

Tony cocked his head, hearing something she wasn't telling them. "Before that?"

Romanoff stiffened; her face impassive but Tony could see the orange in her eyes.

"Let me guess – a bit of time in an orange-colored limbo?"

As Romanoff look became a murder-stare, one he was familiar with, Tony held up his hand. "We'll have to put off the discussion until we get this situation taken care of."

"Tony's right," Steve announced. "These guys are HYDRA and most probably think they can trigger Bucky into the Winter Solider."

"Which they can't," Tony interjected. "They've been removed."

"Their orders will be to take him and kill everyone else," Steve continued, side eyeing him. "It's not going to happen. Coulson knows where we are and a Quinjet should be on the way."

Tony reached back into the closet and grabbed two Kevlar jackets, which he passed forward to Steve. He looked over the SHIELD agents, who were clad in their familiar work uniforms – Romanoff in her leather catsuit and Barton in the sleeveless leather tunic. Although he'd never asked specifically, Tony knew the material they wore was bullet resistant. They both appeared to have their weapons with them and Tony knew from experience the two agents could handle themselves.

Tony moved back to his seat and buckled in. "Buck?"

"We're just passing the George Washington Bridge, Tony. There's an abandoned train maintenance shed on the river side before we get to the Hudson Bridge. I'll pull off there." Bucky glanced back at him. "ETA six minutes."

"SUVs are still following, about a mile back." Steve reported.

"Okay. JARVIS, let's have the suit out of the closet and open."

"Certainly, Sir."

This was the first time he'd deployed the suit from the van. The Mark III was a lighter suit, designed for rapid deployment, and had more traditional armament than his later suits. It was also self-contained, and able to filter out any gas agents. The SHIELD agents both had their mouths open as Tony stepped into the suit and JARVIS activated it. He retracted the helmet, listening as Bucky gave them the last update.

"I'm going to park across the front of the maintenance shed, giving us more cover, and a high point for Barton."

Romanoff spoke up. "Rollins is currently in charge of STRIKE, Rumlow was with Pierce on some type of detail and Sitwell was at SHIELD when Fury pulled us out."

Tony met her eyes. "Have you told any of them?"

Romanoff shook her head, not breaking eye contact. Tony knew she'd lied to his face in the past timeline, but he could distinguish a thin ring of orange around the iris of her eyes. He didn't think the Soul stone would let her do anything that would sabotage their second chance.

He gave her a nod, before engaging his helmet again and listening to Steve countdown the time. Their group had agreed Steve was the field commander; Romanoff looked over and gave a nod, as Steve directed Clint to find a perch. Tony moved behind the row of trees, hovering out of sight, while Bucky stepped out of the driver's seat.

STRIKE must have noted their van had stopped, as they pulled off the road onto the shoulder just prior to the exit into the parking area. The delay gave Tony and crew time to get into optimal positions and for Bucky to get into his jacket. Tony smirked when Bucky ripped off his left sleeve, psychological warfare against those hunting the Winter Soldier. He also knew JARVIS was sending the various camera feeds to the penthouse and Rhodey. Steve didn't even need to do a comm check, JARVIS would have already diverted Romanoff and Barton's earpieces to their channel.

It was almost anticlimactic, mostly due to STRIKE's action plan being predictable. They divided in two groups, one moving around one side, through the trees in an attempt to encircle them. Tony moved quietly around the side, using the trees as cover, to the roadway where he disabling the tactical vehicles with an EMP. The second group came in along the trees, low and fast. The leader hesitated for a second when he saw Bucky standing outside the van, seemingly unarmed.

A hand signal and the HYDRA team opened fire, only to have Steve jump in and deflect the bullets with his shield. Bucky rolled his eyes, using his arm for the same thing.

"Throw the damn thing, Steve!"

An explosion blew several of the black-clad agents into the air and Steve's shield took out several others. Tony took out the ones still standing with repulsor blasts designed to stun, not kill. These men could give them names of other HYDRA operatives, it would further their agenda to take as many alive as they were able to. The second group ran into Barton's exploding arrows and the Black Widow's special talents, with Steve pivoting to lend his shield. They didn't fare any better than the first squad. Bucky grumbled over the comms about 'highhanded' tactics of the others and Tony only got to chase one of the goons, who decided to simply turned tail and ran.

Right on cue, a Quinjet landed in the empty parking lot to pick-up the prisoners. Coulson standing at the top of the ramp. Bucky had gone around, patting each one down and used flexicuffs to bind them. Steve helped drag them over to the jet, while Tony secured his suit back into the closet and checked in with May. He walked over to Coulson as Romanoff caught his eye, giving her a barely there nod. Steve and Bucky had avoided interaction with Coulson, even keeping their distance from Barton and Romanoff. Bucky had located the tracking device, allowing Tony to scan it, before crushing it into dust.

They didn't speak until JARVIS confirmed there weren't any new recording or tracking devices. Bucky pulled of the river road and navigated secondary roadways through Washington Heights and into Upper Manhattan.

"What the hell was that?" Bucky was the first to speak, glancing over his shoulder at Tony.

"Damned if I know," Tony shrugged, unwrapping an energy bar and passing it forward. "I nearly fell over when I saw the orange sparkles around her head."

"There's a circle of orange around her irises, if you look close enough," Steve stated quietly. "I think the Soul stone may have given her a second chance, too."

"Ugh!" Tony grumbled. "She's going to throw off our synchronicity!"

Both Bucky and Steve burst out laughing, easing the last of the strain that lingered in the van. Tony sighed, wondering which category Natasha fell into: remorseful or most trusted.

"JARVIS, check with May on what they want for a lunch – I'm thinking Juniors, and one of their F-burgers and a blueberry cheesecake—"

"Two of the steak burgers and the chocolate cheese cake, please JARVIS," Bucky yelled.

Steve smacked Bucky's arm. "Don't need to yell, pal! Sheesh, born in a barn?" He turned toward Tony. "A couple of the big pastrami sandwiches, please, and I'll share Bucky's cheese cake."

Tony stifled his snort when he saw Bucky side-eye Steve, sure they'd work it out. "Got that, J?"

"Of course, Sir. Shall I tell them you'll pick it up?"

"Yup!" Tony confirmed. "The usually tip and round up."

"Certainly, Sir."

Tony hummed, pushing the serious discussion aside. He knew the group would be having their own discussion and concentrated on the delicious food they'd be eating. Steve's touch on his knee made him jump.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you, Tony." Steve gave him one of his 'aw-shucks' smiles, as Bucky called them. "I just wanted to say thank you, even if you just wave it away. I think that was one of the common niceties we all ignored, you know, before – and that was wrong of us. You deserved better from your teammates, from those you thought of as friends."

It was rare that something choked Tony up, even though he hated being thanked as much as he hated being handed things. Somehow, hearing what Steve said, made him tear up. Maybe he had felt unappreciated before, but it had fallen right in line with Howard's often expressed opinion of Tony's worthlessness. And Steve's face was so earnest, his expression open and honest.

Tony decided he liked this incarnation of Steve Rogers.

"I—" He had to clear his throat. "Thank you, Steve." Tony rubbed the back of his neck. "Truthfully, I kinda like spoiling those I consider family."

Bucky snorted and Steve shot him a scathing look. "Doesn't mean we should take it for granted." Steve told him. "And this time, we won't."

A runner was waiting when Bucky pulled up in front of Junior's and Steve stepped out. Tony popped out the door after Steve had taken the bags and palmed the guy a hundred-dollar bill. He ignored the stink-eye Bucky was giving him as he navigated the van the last couple of blocks to the penthouse. Tony craned his neck to check out the tower as they drove past, delighted at the rate of progress the construction crew was making.

Everyone was there when they got to the penthouse, including Rhodey, and all of them excited for their late lunch. Tony sputtered as Steve and Bucky elbowed him to the side while they distributed the sandwiches and lined the desserts on the island. Throwing up his hands dramatically, Tony sighed deeply before he allowed Pepper to tug him into the chair next to her.

"Food first, honey, then talk!"

As they ate and exchanged small talk, Tony found himself slowly relaxing. Most of the questions were directly at Bucky's appointment and what had happened. It was reassuring to Tony that Strange had been a bit more personable than he remembered him. The sign of the Time stone's influence indicated to Tony, that Strange didn't yet remember the past timeline, he would eventually have the memories returned. At least when that happened, Strange would already know Tony and the others, and how to contact them.

Taking the last bite of his cheesecake, Tony sighed and leaned back in his chair. Peter was already up, collecting dishes from the table, with Bucky helping him. Pepper leaned over and snagged his hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Now, please tell us what happened, Tony." Pepper gave his fingers a gently squeeze of encouragement.

His right hand rubbing his chest subconsciously, Tony began by telling them about the green which surrounded Stephen Strange's head when he first came into the exam room. JARVIS began to put images up on a holographic screen as Tony described the tracking device HYDRA had attached to the van. Explaining his rational for calling Fury, especially if the man had blown them off about the infiltration of SHIELD. Priorities were getting May and Peter back to the penthouse, but better the devil you know than one you don't, had been the reason he demanded Romanoff and Barton.

"After they arrived, I noticed Natasha had orange sparkles around her head, just about the time she demanded to know why I wasn't dying of Palladium poisoning."

"The Soul stone," Peter whispered. "It sent her back in time like we were?"

Nodding, Tony tapped his fingers on his reactor. "That's my best guess, although I'm still trying to figure out if she is someone to be trusted or maybe one of the remorseful."

"Maybe a bit of both?" Pepper ran her thumb over Tony's knuckles. "We got to know each other when she was my assistant, but while you were lost in space after the Snap, she kept me sane, Tony."

Tony blinked, his brain processing what his wife said, with what he remembered the stones saying. "She was your most trusted," Tony said quietly, looking at the others. "allow those most trusted to join you the stones said."

"That means we accept her," Bucky commented, sitting back down. "I was one of those who trained Natalia and the Black Widows, which, of course, turns my stomach now." He shook his head. "They were just little girls and the things those bastards put them through—"

"With her comes Barton," Steve added in a neutral voice. "I think Clint is solid, but I think we should go slow and proceed with caution."

"I agree," Happy threw in. "Barton's family needs to be secured, as well."

"Dad?" Peter seemed to want to raise his hand.

"Go ahead, Pete." Tony urged him with a smile.

"Should we just tell her everything?" he asked, hand worrying the hem of his shirt. "She betrayed you in Germany."

Tony lifted his free hand to rub over his face. "I think this is different, Roo. Natasha sacrificed her life for us to get the Soul stone we used against Thanos. I have to think that the Mind stone would not have let her come back if her head hadn't been cleared."

"I have to agree." Steve met Tony's eyes. "I've seen what can happen if we withhold secrets. What we're here to do, needs all of us with all the information."

Pepper gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. "Any idea how long before she gets away from Fury?" She brushed a hand down her skirt. "I'd like to change clothes."

"Yeah," Steve gave an exaggerated sniff. "Bucky's hair smells like gunpowder."

Tony laughed at Bucky's squawk of outrage and followed Pepper into their room, hoping to talk her into a shared shower.

Romanoff didn't appear until almost dinner time, coming up in the elevator without being announced by the doorman. JARVIS gave them a warning, based on the counterfeit keycard she used to access the penthouse. Most probably the same one she and Barton used to plant their bug over a month ago, Tony guessed. He'd expected her to walk in and demand answers, however, she'd stepped out of the elevator quietly and waited. Dressed down in black, jeans and a hooded long sleeve tee shirt, Romanoff surprised him when he stepped toward her and she threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Nat?" Steve stood several feet away, arms across his chest, stretching Bucky's tee shirt taunt.

She looked at him as she backed away from Tony and threw herself at him. Steve just had time to catch her, as Bucky joined them. Happy came down the hall, carrying several large bags and Tony got a waft of garlic and tomato. Grinning, he glanced at his watch, and it was less than thirty seconds before Peter came running into the living room.

"Is that lasagna I smell?" His face was lit up with anticipation, but he skidded to a stop when he saw Romanoff.

Tony was familiar with the hardened expression on the young face. He stepped up behind Peter and put his hands on the thin shoulders. Steve met Tony's eyes and stepped back, trying to hide the grin on his face. Bucky, who had gone into the kitchen to help Happy, smirked at the scene.

"Miss Black Widow." As with Steve, Peter's voice was hard and his sixteen-year-old mind clearly in charge. "Are you going to be on our side this time?" he asked. "Really on our side, not like in Germany?"

Romanoff met Peter's eyes, hers widening when she realized who he was. "Spider kid?"
She reached out, as if the hug him, but Peter continued to hold her eyes. Switching in mid-reach, Romanoff grabbed his hand and Tony could tell Peter was squeezing it hard.

"I guess you two were never formally introduced," Tony interjected, putting his arm around Peter's shoulders. "Natasha Romanoff, may I present my genius kid, Spiderling, and all-around adorable human, Peter Parker."

Romanoff gave a nod and was able to pull her hand out of Peter's grip. "I, like you, are a different person than the one I was in Germany. I promise you, I want to help you and the rest do what we need to, to prevent Thanos from Snapping us all away."

He gave her a sharp nod and would have made an impressive exit, Tony thought, if Steve hadn't swept him up and carried him through to the kitchen. Ben and May stood beside Happy and Bucky, a buffet of Italian food spread out on the island.

"Nat?" Pepper came in from the bedrooms, dressed in comfortable leggings and a sweatshirt.

Tony watched as his wife wrapped her arms around Romanoff, and began to sob. Pepper had mentioned last night that the pregnancy hormones were already making her more emotional, something she'd hated in the past timeline. Tony felt bad for Happy who was most likely to be at the epicenter during the work day, but he'd offered to spend more time in the office for the next seven or so months. Happy had shot him a look, like he felt Tony was the cause of Pepper's crying jags. Tony tried to be offended, but not mentioning that in the past, Happy was probably right.

Clapping his hands, Tony hip checked Pepper toward her chair. "All right, eat now and questions later. Capiche?"

Everyone nodded before attacking the food like they were starving. Well, Bucky, Steve, and Peter probably still were after their morning and Tony sat back to wait his turn. He noticed Natasha watching him from where she sat between Pepper and May. Had he been a selfish bastard before, Tony wondered, never having thought about how his behavior was seen then. He didn't like to think that he put himself before anyone else – well, when it came to common courtesy, anyway.

"Dad, do you want some lasagna?" Peter held the foil serving pan out to him with one hand.

"Thanks, bambino," Tony said, taking the dish and scooping out a serving for himself, before passing it on to Bucky.

They finished and migrated to the workshop, where JARVIS announced they were locked down. It was the first time they had all been in the workshop at the same time, usually having these discussions in the living room, however, this was the one room JARVIS had total control over. Steve and Bucky stood with Happy in front of the door, while everyone else grabbed a stool to sit on.

Tony didn't hesitate with his questions, the ones he'd been holding in since he'd seen Natasha at Met-Gen. "What happened, to you, on Vormir?"

Romanoff took a deep breath, eyes coming up from staring at the workbench, hands clasped in her lap. "I, uh, I don't remember hitting the ground, just waking up in a pool of water at the base of the cliff. Clint was gone, as was the Red Skull—"

"I thought that bastard was dead!" Bucky interrupted with a growl.

"Apparently that was where the Tesseract transported him to in 1945," Steve put in softly. "It was an unpleasant surprise when I went to return the stone."

"We'll explain all of it when you're done, Romanoff. Please continue." Tony flicked his hand away from him, in a gesture most took as impatience, but those who knew him meant 'go ahead'.

Bringing her hands up to rest on the table, still clasped. "Everything around me was orange, lighter than the planet had been. It felt warm and alive, fluid if that makes sense?"

Tony couldn't help but nod his head, his own experience still very fresh in his mind. "Floaty, like you were bobbing in bath water."

"Exactly and then I heard someone whispering," Romanoff paused, as if gathering her thoughts. "A female voice, telling me my—ledger was clean, my sacrifice had cleared the red." She drew a deep breath. "It said to help repair the damage to the timeline – the universe was in danger, to find the guardian of the stones, who is the protector of the focal point. It said something about enemies and allies needed to unite to overcome."

She shook her head and then looked around the room, until she focused back on Tony. "I came back the same day you returned from Afghanistan, in the small apartment I have in DC."

"Have you knowingly changed anything?" Pepper asked.

Romanoff tilted her head. "I don't think so?" She met Tony's eyes. "In the past, I had just completed a mission, but I'd been injured—"

"Odesa?" Bucky winced as he asked.

"Well, at least you recognize me this time," she muttered.

"Unfortunately, I remember everything, now." Bucky assured her. "Taking out the Russian scientist was the last mission I had before I came to the past. Although, that was in March, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Did the Soul stone say anything about your mind?" Tony asked. "Like it was clean of outside influence?"

Romanoff concentrated for a moment. "I don't think it said anything specifically about my mind, but it did reference a 'clean slate' and that my 'ledger was cleared'."

"Okay." Tony rubbed a hand over his face. "And Barton?"

Shrugging, Romanoff opened her hands, laying them palm down on the workbench. "He knows there's something different about me, that something is going on, but all I've told him is that I think I have information from the future."

"And he believed you?" Steve asked, skepticism in his tone. "Even for you, Barton would have wanted more proof than that."

Bucky snorted and Steve threw him a glare. "Peter made Stevie take an Unbreakable Vow."

"He and I have code words, which let the other know everything is all right." Romanoff looked from person to person. "If you need more – Steve can tell you about the time we kissed—"

"What?" Bucky snapped, narrowing his eyes.

Steve rolled his eyes. "It was during the fall of HYDRA in DC and STRIKE was searching a shopping mall for us, so Nat kissed me on the escalator to keep our faces hidden."

Romanoff smirked. "Or what a pathetic, sad boy Stark was when he and Pepper were 'taking a break'."

Tony didn't even have a chance to squawk when everyone else laughed. Pepper, a hand placed purposely over her stomach, kissed Tony's check. "No more breaks, honey."

"Yes, dear," Tony replied dutifully.

Romanoff gasped. "Morgan?"

Pepper smiled, Tony smirked, and the rest just laughed.

Romanoff actually smiled for a second before she looked anxious. "So did we win or lose? When Stark didn't hold that press conference right away when he got back, I knew something had changed. Then, Coulson came back for the meeting at SI like hellhounds were after him, I wasn't sure what to expect—"

Steve leaned toward her and grabbed one of her hands. "We did win, ultimately, but—"

"We got all the stones and Bruce snapped everyone back," Tony told her softly. "We had a few minutes of joy, before Thanos time traveled from the past, assisted by that time's Nebula, and blew-up the compound, bringing his army with him."

"As you can imagine, it was chaos." Steve continued the story. "Tony, Clint, the racoon, Thor, Scott, and an injured Bruce dug ourselves out of the rubble and began to fight. We all knew we had to keep him away from the gauntlet Tony had built for the stones."

"Bruce's snap had worked and those of us who had been fighting in Wakanda came back together, our battle injuries healed, and not knowing what had happened," Bucky contributed.

Peter appeared beside Tony and he lifted the boy into his lap. "We came back on Titan, but Dad and the one metal lady were gone. Doctor Strange asked if I remembered where the other Children of Thanos had gone. When I told him Wakanda, he made the sparkly circles—"

"Portals." Tony and Bucky supplied.

"—and took us there." Peter's face was pale. "Said we'd been gone for five years and then we all went through more portals to the Compound."

"The fight was even fiercer than the one in Wakanda," Steve supplied grimly. "Chitauri and so many different aliens—" he shuddered. "I was certainly happy to see the reinforcements."

"Long story short, Thanos got the gauntlet and Tony grabbed his hand. He used the nanoparticles in his suit to take the stones away from Thanos, and then, used them to snap Thanos and his army away." Bucky's voice was low, throaty, and filled with pain.

The room was absolutely silent and Tony felt every eye turn to him. He had known the others, his family, had been proud of his sacrifice, but in that moment, the weight of the grief they still carried felt like it was pressing against his chest. Peter turned his face into his neck and Tony could feel his shoulders shake. Pepper pressed against his side, and Tony found he couldn't push anything past the lump in his throat.

"Oh, Tony."

Romanoff's exclamation was barely audible and she threw her arms around him, Peter, and Pepper. Tony was sure it was Rhodey's hand on his head, and each Super Soldier grabbed a knee.

"We'd hug you, too, Boss but we'd probably end up smothering you."

Happy's droll voice drew a laugh from everyone and broke the moment. There were several head kisses, but Tony kept his eyes closed, hanging on to the kid and taking deep breaths.

"All right," Romanoff's voice was back to it's neutral tone. "Did you all comeback at the same time and can anyone tell me what happened after the battle?"

Steve spoke up. "I can." He took a breath. "Tony was the only one of us we lost in the fight, and Pepper brought us all up to the cabin for a memorial service." He met Natasha's eyes. "We'd already had a service for you, before we put the stones together."

He paused, Bucky moving closer to him. "Everyone made it for the service, even Fury. Clint brought his family, T'Challa and Shuri, Peter and May, Rhodey and Happy, every remaining Avenger, and Sam Wilson dragged Bucky with him, insisting that Tony knew how to differentiate between him and the Winter Soldier.

A few days later Bruce had fixed up another time-machine and I went back to return the stones as well as Thor's hammer. Instead of returning to the compound, I chose to stay in the past with Peggy. I made a point to absolutely ignore everything going on in the world, because I knew I couldn't change the timeline."

Tony locked his jaw, knowing his passive-aggressive sarcastic quips wouldn't help, but he apparently underestimated the others.

"You still owe me for that, punk," Bucky muttered.

"And you were really old, Uncle Steve, when you brought the shield for Uncle Sam," Peter piped up.

"You may need something a bit stronger than tea for this story, Rom—"

"Tony, after all of this, I think you can call me Natasha."

"Natasha," Tony was careful to keep a neutral tone – at one point, she'd been a close friend, like Steve, maybe they'd be able to trust her again. "Most of us came back at the same time you did, apparently, the day I returned from Afghanistan. Rhodey and I both remembered as we flew back. Pepper and Happy were on their way to the airport and both May and Peter later that night."

"I was brought out of cryofreeze for a mission and realized at once that I'd come back," Bucky told her. "I think it was the same day Tony returned, as well."

"Then, there was me," Ben rubbed the back of his neck. "I had one hell of a dream that night – well, nightmare it a better word for it – of Peter being bit by the spider and then me dying shortly after that. It showed me May and Peter's life going forward until the Snap."

"It won't happen this time, Ben." May leaned against him. "None of us will let it happen again."

"And I'm the really strange one," Steve admitted. "Old me was here and Bucky, Tony, and Peter visited me, asking me to write down what I'd changed, and left. Thinking about what they had said, I found I wanted to help, so I presented myself front and center and moved in. We retrieved young me from the ice early and while he was thawing, the Sorcerer Supreme showed up and offered me the option to stay old and die or go back to my younger body, with my memories intact, but erase the new timeline I had made. I chose to go back."

"Why?"

"Because Steve's action of going back and staying in the past destabilized the timeline and ultimately, caused the universe to rip apart, according to the stones." Rhodey spoke up for the first time. "The stones were particularly peeved at what Steve had done, or so they told Tony when he was in his limbo stage."

"JARVIS, display, please," Tony directed the AI.

A holographic screen appeared with a list of all the quotes Tony remembered. Natasha looked it over slowly, while the others watched. Tony didn't need to look, the words already seared into his brain. They had gone over how much to tell Natasha, Tony needed to work on the trust issues he had before they fully brought her in – especially with the Serum and his continuing connection to the with the stones. The bunker was another area they had decided to withhold, for now.

Something occurred to him. "JARVIS, add Dr. Strange to the list of people we think will ultimately remember the future. There was evidence this morning that the Time stone has influenced him."

Peter lifted his head and looked up at him. "Green sparkles around his headed?"

"Yup," Tony gave him a squeeze.

"The shadow man?" Natasha asked, sending a smirk at Bucky. "Well, I guess that's better than being called the Asset or Soldat."

Bucky sniffed at her. "I was given the name White Wolf in Wakanda."

That revelation made Tony grin. "That mean I can call you Wolfie?"

"No," Bucky deadpanned, with what Tony called his murder face.

"Right! JARVIS, throw up the timeline."

Leaning closer, Natasha skimmed the list. "Well, you've handled Stane, the weapons manufacturing, and apparently the new element. Stark Tower is already under construction, as is the Compound. What does 'save the reactor' mean?"

"Remember on the helicarrier, when Fury blamed Thor for SHIELD's experimentation with the Tesseract?"

Natasha nodded, glancing between Tony and Steve.

"It was actually the explosion of the large Arc Reactor at SI that sent a beacon out," Tony explained, pointing to the mention on the first list. "I don't know if we'll get a reprieve from Loki in 2012, but none of us can take that chance."

"I'm impressed," she admitted. "You've gotten a lot accomplished in just nine weeks. What's next – and please don't tell me a drunken birthday party!"

Tony looked between Pepper and May, knowing they had the schedule fleshed out.

"Schedule, please, JARVIS," Pepper said, shooting Tony a look. "A meeting with the military oversight committee Thursday and a meeting with Fury and Coulson on Friday. On the personal calendar: get Bucky his new arm, hold the second Young Scientist camp, get everything in place for the 2010 Expo, prepare for HYDRA to try and take Bucky back, determine where the Tesseract is now, homeschool Peter, and try to get the Keeners to New York."

"Also, to continuing training, test Peter's strength at this age, test Tony to see how the serum Howard gave him is effecting him, announce Steve's return, and get a pardon for Bucky." May continued.

Natasha looked between the members of the group. "Where do I fit in?"

"Where do you want to fit in, Nat?" Steve asked.

"To be a part of the team you have formed, to help prevent that purple di—jerk from snapping away so many people we love." She took a deep breath. "I'd also like to see if we could take down the Red Room, which at this point is still in operation, find my sister, and my adoptive parents." Natasha gave them a wry smile. "We might even be able to recruit Alexei, he's the Red Guardian, you know."

Bucky apparently knew who this was and threw his head back, laughing. "He was enthusiastic, the onetime Dreykov brought him in to meet Karpov. HYDRA didn't think much of him."

"Yeah," Natasha smirked, "He wanted to be the Soviet version of Steve, until they lost power and they sent him to prison in order to contain him. They had gave him some type of Super Soldier serum back in the early 1990's the Kremlin developed."

Steve looked at Tony and then back to Bucky. "Well, we could used everyone who is willing."

Natasha snorted, "I'm sure—"

"Sir!" JARVIS interrupted. "Agent Barton is in the stairwell and he seems quite distressed!"

Tony looked from Natasha to Bucky and Steve, gauging their expressions.

"He was supposed to be taking a nap before we left for the farm. He promised Laura he'd spend a couple days with her and the—"

"Smaller agents," Tony finished. "JARVIS, how close is he?"

"I'll go get him," Bucky volunteered with a grin.

"Just want to scare the shit—"

Tony stepped out of the workshop and around the corner to the stairwell door, knowing Bucky was at his back. He waited for JARVIS' signal and opened the door wide. Clint Barton falling into his arms with a sob was not what he expected.

"Tony! You—" the archer couldn't continue, overcome.

Natasha appeared beside him. "Clint? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Clint lifted his head from Tony's shoulder, his eyes red-rimmed. "You! You sacrificed yourself! And Nat – on that planet—"

Oh boy, Tony thought, another one!

Chapter Text

It took several long minutes after retreating into the workshop before Clint let go of Tony and Natasha. Steve helped maneuver him on to a stool and stepped back so May could give him a once over. Happy handed over a bottle of cold water and the rest watched as Clint managed to calm himself down. Finally, taking a calming breath, he took a long drink from the water bottle before he looked around the room, Nat's hand still on his shoulder.

"Legolas?" Tony asked softly. "What happened?"

Clint visibly swallowed before shrugging. "I'm not sure, I laid down to take a nap before we headed out. I actually felt sleepy, which is unusual for me." His eyes went around the room, lingering on Bucky, Rhodey, and Peter. "Then I was dreaming about Nat and I; we were in space, on some desolate planet, and being told one of us had to die by a guy with a red skeletal face—"

"Bastard," Steve and Bucky interrupted in unison, ducking when May and Pepper smacked the back of their heads.

Nat squeezed his shoulders. "Not going to happen this time, Clint."

As Tony scrutinized Clint, he wasn't surprised to see sparkles of red and yellow around his head; it was, however, the orange mixed in which surprised him. Tilting his head, Tony met Clint's eyes as everyone around them fell silent. A flash of the scene in the van came back to Tony; the look wide-eyed look on Clint's face when Nat had mentioned Vormir and Tony dying.

"You remembered after Nat talked about her last thoughts on Vormir this morning," Tony guessed, arms crossed over his chest. "You've always had a special bond between you, and I think you would agree that Natasha is your most—"

"—trusted!" Nat interrupted him, giving him a startled look. "It—they, the whispers, said that to me in my orange limbo as you called it."

"What else did they say?" Pepper reached out to grasp Natasha's hand.

Her forehead creased in thought as Nat stared at Clint. "Ah—that they'd send back the most trusted to work together, and the Mind Stone would repair the damage to our minds." She turned her head toward Tony. "They said to find the stone wielder for guidance, which didn't make sense to me then, as I'd only seen Thanos with them."

"Tony?" Rhodey interjected. "Have you noticed that most of us who participated in the Time Heist have been sent back to help – well, they and their most trusted, if you want to look at it that way."

"And all but Thor and Dr. Banner from the original Avengers, Dad," Peter piped up, moving to lean against Tony's side.

Clint's head snapped toward Peter again when he spoke, his eyes narrowing as Tony picked him up. "Oh my God, is that the kid you brought to Germany, Tony?"

Peter laughed, May and Ben glared, and Bucky pulled out his best murder face as Tony winced, his arm tightening around Peter.

"I'm Spider-Man," Peter confirmed with a laugh, as he turned to look at Clint. "Just in a smaller package."

Clint looked furious. "He's a child, Stark! He shouldn't be involved—"

"Shut up!" Peter snapped at the archer and Tony could feel how stiff he'd become. "My body may only be eight, but my mind is sixteen and filled with memories, including fighting that asshole on Titan, and turning into dust in Dad's arms, before coming back to fight him again at the compound!"

Tony manhandled the eight-year-old into his arms, turning him away from the archer, even though Peter was stiff with indignation. Ignoring Clint's stunned look, Tony opened his mouth to rip into the man, who in the previous timeline had turned his back on Tony without blinking.

Bucky stepping forward made him bite back a sharp retort. Peter finally relaxed in Tony's arms, turning to watch Bucky.

"JARVIS, display the list of instructions the stones gave Tony when they sent him back, please." Bucky stood tall and spoke with confidence. "I don't know you very well, Barton, but I do know you came to help Steve, right or wrong, and then came back to help the others with the Time Heist. I am assuming, deep down, you are a decent human being." He gestured at the list behind him. "We were all sent back for a reason –to change what happened originally in this timeline. The Infinity Stones believed that we, as a group, a team, would be capable of doing this. And trusting each other is a must for this to work."

Gesturing behind him, Bucky reached for Steve's hand. "The boy the whispers refer to is Peter, who had the very universe, the sky literally over his head, begin to tear apart around him a couple years after the battle. He sacrificed everything to stop it. And while all of us would rather he just enjoy this second childhood, he is a vital and active participant in this effort."

"Bucky's correct," May spoke up. "Peter is part of this at every level, and while we all want to keep him out of any active operations until he's older, he does seem to be a shit magnet!"

"Isn't that the truth!" Happy muttered loudly.

"With that in mind," Steve said quickly. "We will be working with Peter to make sure he uses his strength and agility to get himself out of any scraps he might find himself in."

"Like you did, punk?" Bucky sounded incredulous and Steve gave him a side-eye look.

Clint held his hands up in a placating manner. "I'm sorry, Peter, I didn't realize—I just know my own children are only a little younger than you are and reacted based on that."

"I know you would die to keep your kids safe," Pepper acknowledged. "And that's just what we are trying to do here, make the changes necessary for our children, so everyone's children can be safe."

"We have to trust each other," Natasha stated simply.

"It we don't, we fail." Rhodey added with a nod. "No secrets, none at all, even if you think it's best for the group – it's not your individual decision to make."

Natasha nodded in agreement as Clint looked around, making eye contact with each of them. "I don't want to go through all of that again," he agreed quietly. "Not the Snap, Ultron, Sokovia, fighting each other or –"

"Hydra," Steve supplied. "Neither do we, Clint." He gestured around the room. "We've discovered very sensitive, very dangerous information, which you will be privy to in this group. Everyone is in the loop. It is imperative we trust each other."

Taking a deep breath, Clint nodded and pointed his water bottle at Bucky. "I suppose if Stark can trust the Winter Soldier, I can trust all of you."

Bucky put his metal arm around Tony's shoulders, Peter patting it and leaned toward him. Tony rolled his eyes.

"I trust his abilities as the Soldier, but it's James "Bucky" Barnes I would trust with my family's lives." Tony's voice was dead serious.

Clint blinked at that, but Rhodey cut him off. "For full disclosure, we'll tell you how we came back."

Tony watched as his Platypus ordered his thoughts, Peter relaxing a little more in his arms. Steve took a half-step forward, responding to Bucky's tug on his hand, Tony thought, as he hid a smile.

"Tony and I came back in the plane flying us home from Afghanistan," Rhodey's voice was matter of fact. "Neither of us remembered anything other than when he snapped."

Happy cleared his throat. "I was picking Pepper up from SI to drive to the airstrip, I dozed off and woke with a pounding headache. I had vague memories of being at the cabin with Morgan, the service we had, and Peter needing help in Europe."

"I dozed off while Happy was driving," Pepper added. "When I woke up, I was here, and had the same vague memories as Happy."

May cleared her throat quietly and Tony looked down at Peter, only to find him asleep against his shoulder.

"Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and I arrived back at the Malibu house and worked through the evening making a new arc reactor and starting a draw-up a timeline, when Peter called Happy's phone."

"He had been sick that evening, fever, aches, chills," May said softly. "We all went to bed and I woke up with a start, just having had a dream about the future. I heard Peter talking in the bathroom and was concerned."

"It didn't take her long to realize Peter was going through the spider bite again. I was also having a strange dream, where I died after Peter gained his powers, and all the things that happened to them after that." Ben fiddled with his empty beer bottle. "Next day, I changed my response to a robbery while on duty and got shot, but the bodega owner, who'd died before, lived."

"So, we can change things this time," Natasha muttered.

"I woke up being pulled out of cryofreeze," Bucky told them, bracketed by Steve and Tony. "My mind was crystal clear, even after the handler recited the trigger words. I knew the correct responses and went along with what was going on. I remembered the battle, Tony—" he swallowed, "ah, the service, Steve leaving with the stones, being arrested and tried—"

"What?" Tony cried, but Bucky waved him off.

"And I helped Sam with a fringe group who'd recreated the serum." Bucky glanced at others. "Hydra dropped me off at the northern border and I ditched the mission, heading to New York. While I was searching for the sorcerer, I saw Pepper and decided she might help – until I finally saw a calendar."

"So, instead he hid in the hotel suite we were using and scared the sh—"

"—heck out of me!" Tony glared at Rhodey. "It took thirty seconds to figure out he wasn't the Winter Wonder and on our side."

"Damn," Steve muttered. "I'd have given money to see that meeting!"

Clint, Ben, and Happy all agreed with him, grinning.

"I think I'm next, even if I wasn't brought back, per se." Steve leaned against Bucky and met Natasha's eyes. "When I returned the Infinity Stones, I decided go back to 1945 and stayed with Peggy." He held up a hand before she could say anything. "Let me finish, Nat. The group was concerned I would recognize Bucky if he was photographed around Tony, so Bucky, Tony, and the kid paid me a visit. They trusted me enough to forewarn me about their true status and only asked me to write down anything I might have changed when I went back"

"Mr. Captain America Rogers was really old," Peter yawned as he lifted his head. "But he gave me an Unbearable Vow to never hurt us."

Steve plucked him out of Tony's arms and gave him a hug. "That I did, Petey." He looked from Natasha to Clint. "I decided I wanted to help them instead. In the meantime, they found the other me frozen in the ice and brought him here." He paused and took a deep breath. "Strange's predecessor, the Ancient One, appeared, fixed the damage Wanda had done to my mind, and gave me a chance to merge with the other me. I chose to take the chance and become a part of the family."

Tony felt exhausted when Steve was done – it had been hard enough to go through this once already! He opened his mouth to suggest they continue tomorrow, when golden sparks formed a circle in front of the lab doors. Instantly, Tony was pushed to the back by a wall of muscle as Steve and Bucky stepped in front of him. Steve pivoted, and handed Peter off to Ben. Tony pushed up beside the Super Soldiers, as the portal fully opened.

The Ancient One stepped through, a frown creasing her forehead. She looked around the room before settling on Clint. Tony could see the colors of the Infinity Stones sparkle around her like an aura and forced himself to relax.

"I really don't want to call you ancient," Tony gave her his most winning smile. "Especially when you seem to be our only conduit to the Stones."

She continued to look at Clint. "Dr. Stark, I was sent as Mr. Barton's memories were activated prematurely." The woman glanced at Natasha. "The Mind Stone is concerned that he still retains the residuals of the misuse of its powers."

Clint scowled at her, a questioning look on his face, but Tony understood.

"Loki's mind control?"

The Ancient One inclined her head. "The scepter was merely a vessel for the Stone, its power had already been harnessed for ill-intent. We would like to remove the negative influence."

Clint stepped forward, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Negative influence?"

"The Mind Stone's control was tainted by Loki's magic," The sorceress answered. "It still influences your suspicion and paranoia, as well as the ability to trust. These influences impacted your actions in the time which is past. In order to truly integrate into this team trust is imperative. The Stone seeks your permission to erase the damage cause, as it did with the others affected in this room."

Clint turned toward Tony and pointed at the list Tony had made. "And the damage – what Wanda put in your head was removed?"

Both Steve and Tony nodded, but Bucky spoke. "The Stone also helped repair my mind and the damage Hydra caused."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Clint sighed and nodded. "Okay."

A wave of her hand and they all watched as a swirl of sickly electric blue, surrounded by sparkling yellow was drawn out of Clint's head and collapsed in on itself. The portal disappeared at the same moment and Steve jumped forward, catching Clint before he could hit the floor.

Tony sighed wearily. "I think that's all for tonight." He watched Steve heft the archer over his shoulder. "You are welcome to stay in the guest room, Nat, but you'll have to share the bed."

"Wouldn't be the first time," she told him, turning to follow Steve and Bucky.

"Come on, Tony."

Pepper took his hand and Tony followed her out of the lab, knowing JARVIS would secure the room behind them.

Tony tapped his fingers on his arc reactor, the sound muted beneath his bespoken Tom Ford shirt and silk shirt, both in Air Force blue, a silver tie completing the outfit. They were in a small conference room adjacent to the main hearing room at the Pentagon. Bucky and Steve flanked the door, standing at parade rest, and Tony thought it was just a way for the two to hide their nerves. Both were wearing perfect replicas of the Army uniforms they had worn in 1945, with all the medals and ribbons they had been given, in some cases, posthumously. Both men looked sharp, Tony had to admit, although that shade of brown wasn't flattering, especially compared to the Howling Commandos uniforms Tony had also made, but they had turned down. Steve's shield was held down by his left side.

Rhodey had gone ahead into the hearing room and would alert them when the oversight committee was in place and ready for them. It was already fifteen minutes past the hour and Tony hated waiting. He took a deep breath, Pepper's voice in his mind chastising him for his lack of patience. This was too important a meeting to be angsty or irritable for, especially when the committee itself had been so supportive of the actions he and Rhodey had already taken.

They were also aware of Hydra's continued existence before the last mission.

His watch vibrated slightly and Tony pivoted on his heel. "They're ready, gentlemen."

Walking the short distance to the hearing room, a pair of uniformed MPs saluted and then opened the double doors. Tony stepped forward, preceding the other two, so there was a pause before they would become visible to the occupants of the room. He saw General Clarke sitting next to the President, General Leary on Ellis' other side. Glancing around quickly, Tony saw that almost everyone who had been at the original briefing was there. In addition, there were several plainclothes Secret Service types standing close to President Ellis.

Rhodey had already begun the presentation, JARVIS displaying the pictures from the heavily fortified weapons caches he and Tony had destroyed. A video of the warehouse where Stane had been building the huge suit of armor began next, with Rhodey narrating. Even though the representatives had been briefed prior to the mission, they all gasped when the camera paused on the Hydra symbol plastered to the wall. Tony stepped up beside Rhodey, nodded at those who met his eyes.

The president's protective detail gave Tony a once over, before turning their scrutiny on Steve and Bucky. Ellis kept his attention focused on Rhodey, the man was still in the first year of his presidency. Tony knew he would prove to be a good leader, despite his proclivity to put his trust in the wrong people, including his own vice president. While he trusted the committee, and President Ellis, Tony didn't trust the others in the room, nor the security of the room.

Rhodey came to the end of the debrief and glanced at Tony, taking a half-step back.

"As Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes has indicated, we were successful in completing everything we wanted to during this last mission. We also know that the regional task force teams have also accomplished much, with very few casualties. However, as more and more information is leaked, these operations will get tougher." Tony stepped forward, knowing Bucky and Steve were standing a step behind him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Tony tipped his head at Ellis. "President Ellis." The man inclined his head. "We have developed information on a number of other Hydra facilities around the world, many of them laboratories doing human experimentation."

Tony paused as several people gasped, his face grim. "We have absolute proof of this information—"

"Absolute proof, Stark?" One of the vice-admirals spoke up, leaning forward. "I find that very hard to believe. Much like I find the reference to an organization which was defeated in World War II, despite that little video, unbelievable and inflammatory, and a disservice to the men who died defeating it!"

Scratching at his goatee, Tony tried to look sheepish. "Funny you would bring that up, Vice Admiral Burke, as I had also wanted to debrief the committee on the outcome of the annual Stark Summer Artic Expedition!" He turned sideways, arm sweeping toward Steve with a flourish. "May I present Captain Steve Rogers, of the Howling Commandos!"

Steve took one step forward and snapped his feet together, saluting the gathered military officers. He dropped his arm and continued to stand at attention, but before anyone could gather themselves to respond to his presence, Tony continued, hand still pointing at Steve.

"This one we found, the other one found me," Tony announced, gesturing behind Steve. "He escaped his captors, going through great personal hardship, to make his way to New York. He, along with Steve, would like to have his life returned to him." He nodded at Bucky.

"May I present the longest surviving prisoner of war in the history of the United States, Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th and the Howling Commandos!"

Brushing by him, Bucky stepped up alongside Steve and crisply saluted. Tony angled himself to watch President Ellis, while the two soldiers continued to stand at attention. He sighed as he watched one of the Secret Service agents turn and speak into his wrist, hand on his earpiece.

"Left agent just reported," he whispered and Bucky gave him a slight nod.

"You expect us to believe—" Burke interrupted him again, a sneer on his face.

"I don't expect anything, Burke!" Tony bit out. "But the more you protest, the more I wonder if you might be one of those implanted Hydra sympathizers." Tony pointed at the Secret Service agent. "And I'd wager you a million bucks that guy is." He pointed at the agent.

All eyes turned toward the man, whose eyes widened comically and he took off toward one of the side doors. Steve's shield took him down with silent efficiency, as the MPs rushed in to secure the Hydra agent. Ellis watched, pale and wide-eyed, as his former bodyguard was hauled away.

"I'd make sure you check his molars for a hidden suicide pill," Tony advised, his eyes boring into Burke's, who flinched and quickly sat down.

"Tony," General Clarke addressed him informally, a small smile on her face. "Is Sergeant Barnes the anonymous subject of the file you provided to us last month?"

Tony nodded, turning his body back toward the committee. "He is, General. The intelligence community called him a ghost or the Winter Soldier. Hydra called him Asset or the Fist of Hydra."

He didn't miss Bucky's slight flinch over the name. "For almost sixty-five years, the Soviet's and their Hydra allies experimented, tortured, conditioned, and brainwashed Sergeant Barnes in the most heinous and brutal ways to become their weapon. He had attempted to escape many times in the past, only to be recaptured and brutalized with each instance."

"How did he get away this time?" General Leary asked in a horrified tone.

"Permission to speak, Sir?" Bucky asked, his firm voice resonating through the hearing room.

"At ease, gentlemen," Leary told them. "Permission granted, Sergeant."

Steve and Bucky both assumed parade rest, legs apart and hands behind their backs, before Bucky began to speak. Tony stepped to one side, eyes turning to watch the main doors. If the Hydra agent had gotten a report off, Tony knew a STRIKE Team could be there at any moment.

"I was removed from the cryochamber I was kept in between missions, and prepared for a new assignment. On this occasion, the handler was in a hurry and did not bother to put the Asset—to put me in the correction chair which normally would have wiped any memories that might have surface during the time I was frozen."

Half the room, Tony included, shivered at the mention of the torture device.

"They should have, as I had relived the time the 107th was captured and taken to Azzano, where a number of us were experimented on for the first time. I remembered Steve—Captain Rogers rescuing me off a worktable in Zola's laboratory." Bucky took a deep breath. "In the memory, I knew we'd had a friend, a man named Stark, who helped Captain Rogers and, later, the Howling Commandos.

When the handler gave me the mission file, it was the assassination of a politician's wife in Upstate New York. While we were in transit to the US Border near Wolfe Island, the name New York generated even more memories. I was given the few supplies the handler allotted to me and told to be back within seventy-two hours. Instead, I headed to New York City, where I hoped to locate the friend I remembered, Howard Stark, and get him to help me. Instead, I happened to see Tony, and sought his help."

"At that time, Sergeant Barnes did not remember the mission Hydra had sent him on in 1991," Tony interjected. "We found out quickly that Bucky's prosthetic arm contained a tracking device as well as a kill switch, strong enough to take out an elephant." He glanced at Bucky's expressionless face. "Hydra wasn't about to let their murder-bot escape them."

"And you've been able to help Sergeant Barnes with the brainwashing and torture he experienced, Stark?" Burke demanded in disbelief.

"It's Doctor Stark, and yes, we've been able to help him – an advanced hippocampus-targeted technology Stark Industries developed to assist veterans with PTSD, along with a staff of mental health professionals, working together."

"They have also helped me with what happened to me as well," Steve spoke for the first time. "Tony and his technology have been amazing."

"I'd be interested in seeing how your device works, Dr. Stark," President Ellis put in, leaning forward. "I'm assuming the pardon I signed was actually for Sergeant Barnes then, General Clarke?"

"Yes, Mr. President, that was the recommendation of the military tribunal who reviewed the documentation Dr. Stark provided."

"A tribunal?" Burke scoffed under his breath.

"Excellent!" Tony clapped his hands. "Can we get both Steve and Bucky's files updated so they can get IDs and their back pay?"

"I will handle it personally, gentlemen, with the understanding that the Sergeant and the Captain will indulge this committee with an opportunity to debrief them fully in the near future, " General Clarke gave them a brief smile, before moving on to the next piece of business. "You had also listed another mission, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes, which you would like to make as highly classified and need-to-know only. Is that correct?"

Tony smirked at the still gob smacked looks several of the military officers, except Burke who looked like a constipated asshole, he thought. Rhodey was also staring at the man.

"We do have an additional mission we'd like have the committee sanction," Tony began, as he stepped up beside Rhodey, who was standing by a table. "However, it is much too sensitive to discuss in an open forum, with a loose cannon like Burke present and in an unsecured room."

"Unsecured room—" Ellis began, only to be cut off.

"Loose cannon!" Burke jumped up again.

"JARVIS, scan the room for surveillance devices," Tony ordered, his phone in his hand.

"There are currently four audio and two video devices in the hearing room. Two of them transmitting on the frequency we have determined to belong to Hydra, Sir."

"They're coming, Tony," Bucky announced and Steve moved with him toward the main doors.

"Those of you who are unarmed, head to the back of the room, along the outside wall. Now!" Bucky ordered. "If you're armed, form a barricade around them!"

Tony pivoted toward the briefcases under the table, sliding the silver one toward Rhodey as he grabbed the red one. Ignoring the gasps from behind him, Tony hit the buttons to release the latch and grabbed the handles, allowing the suit to unfold around him. Both his and Rhodey's helmets covered their faces as the double doors were kicked open.

Strike Team Delta pushed their way into the room, forming a semi-circle in front of Alexander Pierce. Tony almost whistled – Hydra wasn't screwing around, it seemed. The goons eyed the pair of soldiers, and Tony smirked, glad Bucky had let him provide the bullet-resistant fabric for their uniforms. Pierce glanced around the room, sneering at those present, and didn't even monologue like most megalomaniacs did.

" Желание—"

Tony winced at Pierce's accent. "You should at least be able to pronounce the damn words if you want to trigger the Winter Soldier," he offered helpfully.

Pierce ignored him and stepped through the ring of heavily armored agents. "--ржавый, семнадцать, рассвет, печь, девять—"

"Jesus," Bucky shook his head. "Damn words still give me a headache." He gestured to Steve. "If you don't mind, pal."

The shield was a blur as it flew, taking down half the Hydra agents. Bucky leapt forward, kicking the gun which had appeared in Pierce's hand, before punching him in the chest, sending him flying back into the agents still standing. Steve spun around to meet an attack from two of the goons who'd shaken off the impact of the shield already.

Tony cocked his head, his repulsors winding up to a full charge. The Hydra soldiers seemed to be at least somewhat enhanced. Two of them grabbed Pierce and headed toward the doors, while several others broke off and tried to go around Bucky and Steve. Rhodey signaled toward the door as he turned toward the back. Nodding, Tony clanked up to where Bucky and Steven were wiping the floor with the Hydra agents. Alexander Pierce was edging toward the door and Tony sent a tight blast into the floor next to the man, who was blown against the wall.

A shout went up from the back and Tony swung around just as Rhodey launched himself at the president and scooped him up. Tony aimed a blast at one of the military aides, who somehow had produced a gun from under his uniform jacket. Rhodey continued out the door, removing Ellis from the danger, while Admiral Sorrento had the aide subdued and General Banks had grabbed the loose gun.

The was a crash outside the main doors and Tony whipped around as a squad of MPs in tactical gear burst into the room, a lieutenant at the front, assault weapon at ready, scanning the room. The woman made eye contact with Bucky and then Steve for a heartbeat, before identifying them as Marines. Tony lowered his hands, allowed his helmet to retract, and stepped back to where Steve and Bucky stood over a pile of Hydra agents proned out on the floor.

"Take these men into custody!" General Clarke moved forward. "Put them in the high security brig, charged with treason and attempted murder!"

"Where's Pierce?" Steve asked as the Marines began to wade into the pile on the floor.

Opening the suit, Tony stepped out and began to swear. "Well, shit! He was unconscious by the wall!"

One of the detained suddenly dropped to the ground, foaming at the mouth, and it was Bucky's turn to swear. "Shove something into their mouths, some of the have suicide capsules in their teeth."

It was a bit chaotic for several minutes as one of the Marines grabbed a handful of pens and, with Steve and Bucky's help, began pushing them into the prisoners' mouths before taping them shut. Bucky checked each of the Hydra agents, before walking back to Tony.

"Looks like Pierce and Rumlow are gone."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Tony opened them and gave a nod. "At least they know they can't activate the Asset any longer, so maybe they won't try to get you back."

"Means we need to get ahold of Fury now," Steve added as Rhodey came back into the room.

"I agree," Tony looked his friend up and down. "You good, Platypus?"

Rhodey's helmet retraced, and Tony reached up to help manually open the suit. "As much as I love War Machine, Tones, this lighter armor has its advantages!"

"Tony!" General Clarke appeared beside them, General Leary beside her. "George and I would like to hear about the mission you mentioned. Can we meet tomorrow morning to go over it and we'll decide for the committee."

Tony looked at the others, receiving a small nod from each. "That would be perfect, General, as we have Nick Fury coming in at 9am – we need some of his assets as well."

Her brown eyes narrowed at him. "All right, if you are positive he is loyal."

"I do, General." Tony answered without hesitation. "Peggy Carter would never have made him her assistant if she thought otherwise."

She cocked her head slightly. "How'd she get along with Alexander Pierce?"

"Hated him." Tony grinned, remembering Aunt Peggy's commentary on the 'pushy, uppity arsehole'.

The four men helped where they could and Tony had JARVIS email the video footage to the FBI for their use. Battling a slight headache, Tony was mostly silent until they were back on the jet and he knew their conversation would be private.

"Well, that was a surprise," he murmured, finally relaxing back against his seat as the plane took off.

"Pierce himself coming with STRIKE wasn't something I would have ever considered," Rhodey agreed from beside Tony, reclining back in his seat. "The sheer arrogance of the move astounded me."

'Just the way he exposed himself was insane," Steve leaned toward them from his place on the other side of the table. "How in the world did he think the others in the room would agree with what he was doing?"

"He knew who was there," Bucky stated, hands clasped in his lap. "Bastard was going to prove how dangerous I was and leave."

"How would he explain knowing who you were – or what you used to be?" Tony asked.

Bucky shook his head. "He didn't plan on leaving any of them alive, Tony, putting all the blame on the Winter Soldier."

"He probably thought he'd hit the jackpot when he saw Ellis there," Rhodey reasoned. "Would have left quite the power vacuum, unless he's already gotten to the Vice President."

Tony silently agreed, as he leaned back in the seat. Tomorrow's meeting was going to be insane.

"Sir?"

Despite it being just after 7am, Tony was up and in the kitchen, already halfway done with his second cup of coffee. He'd sent Peter with Happy and Ben to take Pepper and May to the main SI offices in Midtown. There was no way he wanted Peter anywhere near Nick Fury.

"What have you got, J?"

"A message from Agent Barton, Sir, stating they are enroute to Eastern Europe."

Nodding, Tony swallowed his mouthful of coffee. "Thanks, JARVIS. Let me know if they run into any issues."

"Certainly, Sir."

A moment later, Steve trailed Bucky into the room as Tony reached for one of the blueberry muffins Happy had picked up for breakfast. Both men looked tired, something in the past Tony would not have even noticed, more due to his own nonattention than any other reason. Peeling the paper holder off the muffin, Tony gave them a smile but bit his tongue on the insensitive comment that came to mind.

"Morning," Bucky grunted as he beelined for the coffee machine, grabbing a mug to slide under the spigot. "Everyone get going this morning?"

Tony hummed around his mouthful of muffin, waiting until after he swallowed to speak. "Yes, with extra security in place and some off-duty NYPD officers providing escort. JARVIS also relayed a message from Clint, saying they were heading out as well."

Taking the mug Bucky handed him, Steve's head snapped toward him. "That was quick."

Tony heard the trepidation in Steve's voice. "Yeah, I think Clint is keen to find the twins, just to see what kind of situation they are in. JARVIS has alerted the local relief agency that there are funds pending for the two, if we can find them."

"How old are they now?" Bucky asked curiously, as he popped slices of bread into the humongous toaster.

JARVIS was the one to answer. "The Maximoffs were born in 1989 in Sokovia, although any other records are either unverified or non-existent. As far as can be determined, they have been in state care since a rebel uprising in May of 2003."

"Rebel uprising?" Steve frowned. "It was rebels who fired the SI weapons?"

A feeling of dread washed through Tony, and he set down his half-eaten muffin. The time was right for Stane to have been selling discarded SI missiles under the table to anyone with cash. "Stane was the Chief Operations Officer for Stark Industries at the time, and the one who arranged my kidnapping by the Ten Rings in Afghanistan."

"Wait!" Bucky interjected, turning to face Steve. "You kept calling the witch—calling Wanda, 'kid' when we were at the airport, but she was actually, what, twenty-six? Twenty-seven?"

Pursing his lips, Steve didn't answer, and Tony watched as Steve's concentration turned inward. He broke his muffin up into small piece until Bucky nudged his arm and gave him a pointed look. Tony was tempted to stick his tongue out like he was Peter's age, but he just stuck a piece of muffin in his mouth instead. Steve's heavy sigh made him jump.

"You're right," Steve rubbed his forehead. "That is exactly how I thought of her at the time, like she was sixteen, not twenty-six."

He gave Tony an apologetic look. "I remember when I said that to you in Germany, and you said—"

"—she was a weapon of mass destruction," Tony replied quietly, wincing.

"She messed with your head, Tony, I just didn't understand at the time."

"Well," Bucky interjected. "None of us are going to be mind-raped by anyone, ever, if we can help it!"

"And we aren't going to let Hydra experiment on the twins," Tony declared. "They will probably still hate me, but they don't have to know I'm involved in helping them."

"Hopefully, Clint and Natasha will be able to find them and get them set up." Steve finished his muffin, giving Bucky a look as he tossed another muffin at him.

Tony grinned until a muffin came hurtling toward his face. "Hey!"

"What the hell!" Rhodey yelped, coming around the corner to a muffin bouncing off his forehead.

Bucky jumped forward and caught it before it could hit the floor, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry, Steve ducked."

Rhodey rolled his eyes at them and crossed his arms over his chest. "You guys aren't even dressed! Hurry up and eat, then get dressed! You know Fury is always half an hour early!"

Tony didn't really care if Fury had to wait for them, but he couldn't stand the disappointed look Rhodey would give him. Grabbing another cup of coffee, Tony headed to his room, where he cleaned up and threw on a clean pair of jeans, a long-sleeved Black Sabbath shirt, and his favorite blue blazer. Steve and Bucky were waiting for him in the kitchen, Steve dressed like Old Steve in a plaid shirt and tan chinos, which made him snort. Bucky grinned and winked at Tony, his long-sleeved Henley dark blue and paired with dark blue jeans fit snuggly to his body. Steve's eyes kept straying to Bucky's hips as he turned toward the elevator.

"Rhodes has gone down to the lobby to bring the generals up," Bucky told him as Tony followed Steve into the elevator.

Mentally going over what they wanted to accomplish in the forthcoming meeting, Tony studiously ignored whatever the UST twins were doing behind him. He managed to keep the smirk off his face as he saw Bucky grab Steve's hand. Their antics were amusing, but Tony was pleased to see the happy gleam in Bucky's eyes as they faced forward. It made his chest warm to see Bucky, and Steve truly happy in this life.

The shop had been cleaned and the large worktable cleared of all Tony's projects. It hadn't taken long to accomplish with two super soldiers and a spiderling doing the heavy lifting. The Iron Man and War Machine armors stood against the back wall, the two suitcase suits set against the wall by the door. While a bit unconventional as a conference room, Tony knew it was the most secure they had until the Tower was completed. And JARVIS was here.

His eyes trailed to the unfinished torso of the armor they'd secured the vial of serum in, his head whipping around when he heard the elevator open. Rhodey stepped out, leading Clarke and Leary, like the rest of them, dressed in casual clothing. Waving them in, Tony was delighted at both of the generals' wide eyes as they looked around the workshop, glances flickering between the armors to the holographic screen over the worktable. Ushering them to a couple of the high stools, Steve set cups of coffee in front of them as well as a plate of the cookies Bucky and Peter had made the day before.

"Sir, Director Fury and Agent Coulson have arrived," JARVIS announced, just before the elevator doors opened.

Tony stepped into the elevator foyer, Bucky at his elbow. "Gentlemen, I'm glad you were able to make it." He gave Fury's black leather ensemble a look, biting on his cheek to stifle a laugh, knowing the man wore it to intimidate. "If you would dispose of the eavesdropping and video surveillance devices into the metal jar to the right, you can retrieve them on the way out."

Coulson at least started in surprise, but Fury didn't blink. Nor did either man move.

Sighing, Tony shook his head. "If you want this meeting to go forward, you will do as I ask or Barnes will show you the way out. JARVIS?"

"Director Fury is carrying a micro transmitter and Agent Agent has a video device as well as two audio transmitters."

Fury met Bucky's eyes without flinching, before reaching into his pocket and handing something to Coulson, who moved to the containment jar. He lifted the lid and dropped several pieces of tech inside.

"J?"

"They are clean, Sir."

"Thanks, J." Tony gestured ton the two men to proceed him into the workshop, Bucky shutting the door when they were all inside.

"Now that we are all here, introductions are in order. General Clarke and General Leary, this is Director Nick Fury and Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD, the organization my father and godmother, Peggy Carter, founded after World War II." He could practically feel Fury's eye burning in his back as the generals' nodded in acknowledgement at the men. "Fury and Agent, I'm sure you recognize Captain Steve Rogers and Sgt. James Barnes of the Howling Commandos."

Fury refused a seat, standing just inside the door, arms crossed across his chest. "You expect me to believe that Captain America's best friend is really an assassin the intelligence agencies only whisper about?"

Bucky was the one who answered. "We don't expect you to believe anything, Director, just giving you a heads up on the mission against a Hydra base we are here to discuss with the Generals."

"And why would SHIELD care?"

"You mean besides the fact that it is a Hydra installation established in Siberia near the end of World War II," Rhodey interjected.

"It was where I was taken after I was captured, Director," Bucky's voice was low, haunted. "Where I was experimented on, tortured, dehumanized, programmed, and trained into a ruthless killing machine."

Fury at least had the grace to soften his stance. "Then why in the world would you want to go back there?"

"Because, I wasn't the only Winter Soldier." Bucky's expression was grim. "And I'm not the only one who knows where they are."