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As the Quinjet touched down, there was almost a collective sigh of relief that washed over every occupant. It had been nearly two years since they’d last been here, since the breakdown of the Avengers.
Nearly two years of living on the run, waiting for Ross and his men to find them and drag them back to the Raft. Almost two years since Steve had sent Tony that flip phone, almost two years of hoping that Tony would call to extend an olive branch.
He’d never called.
But the olive branch had been extended nonetheless, in a less direct way. An invitation through T’Challa, a chance to sign the amended Sokovia Accords, a chance to be pardoned. A chance to go home, like Clint and Scott already were- yes, under house arrest but at least they were able to be with their children. Tony’s name had never been mentioned in any discussions of the pardons, but his fingerprints were all over the Accords. Steve still didn’t like that they existed, what they represented, but he had to admit that they seemed better than they had originally.
Nat had been the first to announce her intention to sign and accept the pardon and its conditions- six months of probation to be served at the compound and a crystal-clear understanding that there would be no more second chances if they went against the Accords and took the law into their own hands.
“I signed the first ones,” she pointed out. “These are better. And I want to go home. I want to talk to Clint and Laura and their kids. I am tired of this, Steve.”
Wanda had made the decision next. She didn’t necessarily like or trust Tony any more than she had two years ago, but she had Vision waiting for her. And she was tired of having only stolen moments in secret with him.
That only left Steve and Sam, and there’d been a lot of discussion between the two of them, neither arguing for one side in particular, just both examining every facet of what had been offered to them, weighing the positives and negatives. Steve had to consider Bucky too- he was free from HYDRA’s programming thanks to Shuri, but his situation was far from simple. It had been accepted by the UN that he wasn’t responsible for the crimes he committed while brainwashed, but there were still those in various world governments and among the public of many nations that wanted the Winter Soldier to be held accountable for his actions. In the end, it had been decided that Bucky was allowed to return to the US under a longer, stricter probation period than the others. And when Steve had spoken to him about it, his friend had quietly encouraged him to sign the Accords and accept the deal.
So here they were, touching down on home soil. Finally.
The compound was dark; they’d flown in after nightfall, more out of habit by now than anything, but it was still the most beautiful sight they’d seen in a long time.
Home.
“I hope the kitchen is stocked,” Sam said eagerly, grabbing his things. “I’m starving.”
“I want to order pizza,” Nat said. “A real, New York pizza.”
They headed inside, rather nonchalantly as though they’d only been away days and not months. Sam, in front, came to a dead halt as he stepped through the doorway. Nat had to nudge him forward none too gently so that she could follow. When Steve crossed the threshold, he knew immediately what had caught Sam off guard.
The space was dark, empty.
Deserted.
“You know, I wasn’t exactly expecting a ‘welcome home’ banner, cake and balloons, but Stark could’ve at least left a damn light on,” Sam said, going to turn the lights on himself.
Wanda headed for the kitchen, opening the fridge and checking cabinets. “There’s no food,” she said.
“That’s not unusual for Tony,” Nat pointed out.
Steve and Nat knew perfectly well that Tony could easily get wrapped up in projects and forget normal things like food and sleep. Or just live off takeout so neither cooking nor dishes was a concern.
“Tony knew we were coming home today, right? We have the date right?” Nat asked Steve quietly.
Sam still overheard. “Maybe this is just a sign of how welcome we actually are,” he said grimly.
Nat shook her head confidently. “That’s not Tony’s style, Sam. Pepper would’ve ordered groceries if Tony didn’t think of it. Or Rhodey.”
Steve’s gut churned. Pepper and Tony had been “taking a break” two years ago- Tony’s words. Maybe that break had become permanent too. And they weren’t sure what condition Rhodey was in these days- that weighed on Sam heavily. But then again, they all had their sins to atone for now.
“Well, I’m hungry,” Sam complained. “Can we order pizza?”
“I want to go to bed,” Wanda said. “I’m exhausted.”
She looked to Steve. “Are our rooms the same, do you think?”
“I would assume so,” Steve replied unsurely.
He glanced over at Bucky, the only one of them who hadn’t been to the compound before. He wasn’t sure what arrangements had been made for him.
“FRIDAY?” Nat said carefully.
“Yes, Agent Romanoff?” the AI’s familiar voice returned.
Only Steve noticed Nat’s shoulders ease slightly, even as Bucky’s stiffened.
“Is anyone here?” she asked.
“Vision is currently in the library,” FRIDAY replied. “I will let him know of your arrival.”
Nat and Steve exchanged a glance, while Wanda visibly perked up at the mention of Vision.
No Tony, no Rhodey. A coincidence, or were they not as welcomed as they’d thought, like Sam had said?
Vision entered the room only moments later, breaking into a smile as his eyes found Wanda’s.
“My apologies for not greeting you when you arrived,” he said politely, after greeting them all. “I was reading and did not realise you had landed.”
“It’s fine, Vision,” Steve reassured him. “Where’s Tony? And Rhodey?”
Vision hesitated. “Colonel Rhodes is in the city,” he said carefully. “There was an emergency which required his attention. Mr Stark has no real reason to be here.”
“No reason to be here?” Sam repeated. “He lives here. He owns the damn place.”
“Mr Stark has not lived here for some time,” Vision replied.
“What?” Steve asked, startled. “Why? Where does he live?”
Vision paused again before responding, which was maddening. “Circumstances changed. I believe his change in priorities resulted in his return to residing in Manhattan being more practical.”
Nat frowned. “What circumstances? What priorities?”
“His family.”
All but Vision jumped at the new voice.
“Director,” Nat greeted him.
“Not Director anymore, Agent Romanoff,” Fury corrected her.
Her lips twitched. “Habit,” she apologised, but she didn’t sound apologetic.
“What are you doing here?” Steve asked.
Fury raised an eyebrow at him as he stepped further into the room. “What? Not the welcome committee you were expecting?”
“Not exactly,” Steve admitted readily, and then his shoulders eased. “But it’s good to see you again, Nick.”
“Is it?” Fury merely countered.
Steve sighed, thinking back to the conversation they’d had in Syria. His own refusal to repair the Avengers, his insistence that the ball was in Tony’s court.
“Yes.”
Fury hummed slightly. “I brought dinner,” he said, dumping the pizza boxes in his hand on the kitchen counter. “Thought you might be hungry.”
That was all they needed to know for now.
“Do you know what this emergency is that’s taken Rhodey away? When he’ll be back?” Nat asked Fury as they all tucked into the pizzas, sitting around the table like they used to do.
“I know everything, Romanoff,” Fury replied. “But I can’t say when he’ll be back.”
“And Stark?” Steve asked. “You said something about his family. You mean Pepper?”
Sam frowned. “Is she sick or something?”
“I believe that Miss Potts- or Mrs Stark, rather- is in good health,” Vision answered.
Steve choked on the mouthful of pizza he was eating. “Wait- Tony and Pepper are married?” he asked hoarsely, while Sam helpfully thumped him on the back.
“I believe she’s keeping her name, at least professionally,” Fury said calmly. “But yes. As of New Year’s Eve. Lovely wedding.”
“You were invited?” Nat asked, rather sceptically.
“Wait, wait,” Sam interrupted. “When did they get engaged?”
Fury looked almost amused. “You didn’t keep up with any news from home while you were gone?”
They hadn’t really. For some, it was rather painful to be reminded of the lives their family and friends were living. For some, it was just easier not to.
Fury turned to Nat. “Hill and Pepper are quite good friends. She was invited, I accompanied her.”
Sam snorted. “A Stark wedding. I’m sure that was the most lavish event of the year.”
Fury helped himself to another slice of pizza. “Actually, it was a very private affair. Family and close friends only.”
That was rather a surprise to them all. They all knew how much Tony loved to throw a good party. His wedding to the love of his life surely would have been a good excuse to throw a grand party.
Steve rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling us something?” he asked.
Fury smiled. “There’s many things I’m not telling you, Captain. Not my story to tell.”
Wanda whirled to face Vision. “You know too?” she demanded. “You’re keeping things from me?”
“As Mr Fury has said, it is not my place to tell you,” Vision replied calmly. “And we’ve had limited time together these past few years. You did not wish to spend our meetings discussing Mr Stark.”
Wanda didn’t look happy, but she didn’t argue his point.
“This is ridiculous,” Nat said, pulling out a phone.
She pressed a few buttons and then the phone was audibly ringing.
“Hello?” Pepper’s voice greeted them a moment later.
Her voice sounded harried, like she was in the middle of something, distracted.
“Pepper?”
“Yes?”
Nat paused, glancing at Steve in bewilderment. “It’s Nat.”
A beat.
“Nat,” Pepper gasped. “Oh God, it’s Friday.”
Nat frowned. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Is everything alright? Vision said Rhodey was called away on some kind of emergency, and no one seems to know where Tony is.”
There was another beat of silence. “I- it’s been a rough few days,” Pepper finally replied, sounding rather choked up suddenly. “I’m so sorry, I meant to have the kitchen stocked for when you arrived,” she apologised.
“It’s fine, Pepper,” Steve reassured her. “What’s going on? Can we help?”
Pepper’s pause this time felt different. “I don’t think so, Steve,” she said.
Steve wondered if her voice had cooled slightly or if he was imagining that.
“Is Tony there? Can we talk to him?” Nat asked Pepper.
Pepper let out a slow breath. “Hang on a sec,” she replied.
There came sounds of movement over the phone, but faint, like Pepper had pulled the phone away from her ear.
“Sure sounds like we’re welcome, doesn’t it?” Sam muttered to Bucky.
Bucky glanced warily at Steve, clearly agreeing with Sam.
More noises came across the line, and then Pepper’s voice, faintly and slightly muffled.
“Tony? Honey?”
A pause.
“Nat’s on the phone.”
“Nat?” came the muffled yet still familiar cadence to Tony’s voice, sounding hoarse.
“It’s Friday. They’re at the compound,” Pepper explained.
Another pause.
“Shit,” Tony finally said. “That was today? Shit.”
“It’s fine, babe,” Pepper soothed him. “Vision’s there with them. But Nat wants to talk to you. She asked what’s going on.”
There was a long silence this time, the murmur of voices too low to make out, and then more sounds. Footsteps, and then a door opening and closing.
“Nat?”
It wasn’t Tony’s voice.
“Hey, Rhodey,” Nat greeted him casually. “What’s going on?”
Rhodey let out a low breath just like Pepper had. “Look, Tony’s really in no condition to talk right now. It’s nothing personal, I swear. It’s just…”
Steve was rather at the limit of his patience for vague answers and explanations.
“Rhodey, what’s going on?” he demanded.
Rhodey paused. “Hang on,” he said. “I’ll call you back in a second.”
Then he was gone, the call ended.
“This is getting a little ridiculous, don’t you think?” Sam questioned.
Nat met Fury’s gaze. “Should we be worried? About Tony?”
“About him? No. For him, maybe,” Fury replied.
It was another five minutes before Rhodey returned the call.
“Sorry,” he apologised. “I just had to confirm a few things before I filled you in. Sorry that I’m not there. It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Vision said there was some emergency,” Sam chimed in. “He just didn’t say what.”
“Right,” Rhodey agreed. “I’m gonna need you guys to hear me out here, alright? Is everyone there?”
“Yeah,” Nat confirmed. “We’re here. And listening.”
Rhodey took a deep breath, audible even over the phone. “A lot’s changed since you guys left.”
“Yeah, we heard that Tony and Pepper got married,” Steve said.
“Yeah,” Rhodey said. It sounded like he was smiling. “They did.”
He cleared his throat. “You guys remember Spider-Man? From the airport?”
Sam frowned. “Sure. Hard to forget those webs,” he said disgruntledly.
“Tony kinda took the kid under his wing afterwards, looking out for him,” Rhodey explained.
Steve stiffened. “Kid?” he repeated, his tone darkening.
“Kid in a literal sense; or in the sense that everyone younger than you is a child?” Nat asked, her tone more nonchalant.
“He’s sixteen.”
It wasn’t hard for them to do the math.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Steve exclaimed. “Tony brought a kid into that fight?”
“There wasn’t supposed to be a fight,” Rhodey reminded him sharply. “That wasn’t the plan.”
“He’s right,” Nat murmured.
Sam shook his head unhappily. “So what? There was every chance it could have come to that, Stark should’ve known that. It’s common sense.”
“I don’t think Stark cares about that,” Wanda muttered quietly.
Not quietly enough for Rhodey not to hear her though.
“Look, I said a lot has changed,” he almost snapped. “Tony wouldn’t do it again if this happened tomorrow, and he’s made up for it a hundred times since. Don’t harp on this, ok?”
“He’s a kid, Rhodey,” Sam protested.
“And he was Spider-Man before Tony found him,” Rhodey countered. “Tony didn’t make him Spider-Man, he stepped in to make sure the kid was safe.”
Rhodey’s voice broke at the end and Nat stilled, leaning forward towards the phone.
“Rhodey?” she asked worriedly.
Rhodey was quiet for a moment.
“Sorry,” he apologised. “It’s just been a really rough few days.”
“That’s what Pepper said,” Steve frowned. “What happened?”
“There was an accident,” Rhodey said, his voice going quiet. “A pile up on FDR drive. Peter showed up to help get everyone out, and one of the cars blew up. He got caught in the blast.”
“Peter?” Sam asked quietly.
“That’s his name,” Rhodey said distantly. “Peter Parker.”
There was a long pause before Rhodey spoke again.
“He’s been unconscious for three days,” he told them. “We’re not sure when he’ll wake up. Helen’s doing what she can-”
“Wait, where are you?” Nat interrupted. “Not the hospital?”
“No, the Tower,” Rhodey answered. “Usually major injuries are still treated at the compound, but we had to move quickly. He’s got fast healing, so a normal hospital wasn't going to work.”
“Is he going to be alright?” Wanda asked, her brow furrowed.
Rhodey hesitated. “I hope so.”
“So, what? Stark’s paying for his medical bills, and pretending he’s not responsible for this kid deciding to play superhero?” Sam demanded.
“Sam, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know Tony, you don’t know Peter,” Rhodey snapped. “Tony loves that kid more than anything in this world. He hasn’t left his side for a moment, and if Peter doesn’t wake up soon... “
His voice trailed off, the heat extinguished as quickly as it came.
“I can’t leave right now,” Rhodey said, sounding broken. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”
Once again, Rhodey ended the call.
“Tony loves the kid?” Nat asked bewilderedly.
“Mr Stark has come to fill a rather paternal role in Peter’s life since they met,” Vision said quietly. “Peter’s biological parents died when he was a child. He was raised by his aunt and uncle, and his uncle passed a few years ago. He and Mr Stark have a very close bond. I do believe if Peter succumbs to his injuries it would cause Mr Stark tremendous pain.”
“It’ll break his damn heart,” Fury said, who had sat there silently through both phone calls. “He’s all but adopted the kid.”
Steve couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Tony? With kids?”
He couldn’t help remember Tony’s reaction when Steve had thought that Pepper was pregnant. The way he’d scoffed at the idea, shaking it off immediately.
“He adores that kid,” Fury said firmly. “You know, you’ve all come a long way since I met each of you. None of you are the same people you were when I brought you together to fight Loki. But Stark? I’m damn proud of the man he’s become these last few years.”
Steve flinched slightly.
“Who exactly is that?” Sam demanded.
“A husband. A father,” Fury replied simply. “And a damn good one at that.”
He rose to his feet. “Welcome back, Avengers. The world may need you eventually. It’s why you’ve been brought back. But Stark? He may need you sooner. I don’t envy a man losing their child. You don’t recover from that.”
He left them in silence.
“This child- Peter. You’ve met him?” Wanda asked Vision finally.
Vision inclined his head. “Only a few times. Mr Stark and Pepper relocated back to Manhattan fairly soon after he began working closely with Peter. He wished to be close by in case of events where Peter needed his assistance or medical attention.”
Like car crashes that ended with explosions.
Nat was on her phone, reading something.
“It was a seven car pile up,” she read quietly. “Eight died. Twenty-one injured. ‘Eye-witness reports say Spider-Man, who arrived on scene soon afterwards, was personally responsible for pulling seventeen people out of the wreckage to safety. He was rescuing a man, identified as Brent Haywood from Long Island, from the car after helping his husband and three children out of the wreck when the gas tank of another vehicle exploded.’”
She looked up from the screen, her face grave. “Iron Man was next on the scene only moments after the explosion, before first responders arrived.”
Silence met her.
It wasn’t long after that they all headed to bed. Vision directed Bucky to the room that had been allocated for him, and they each went to settle in. Steve couldn’t really unwind though, his mind too full of everything they’d learned tonight. Wondering about this kid who apparently meant so much to Tony, this kid who was fighting for his life.
It was after midnight when he gave up on sleep, wandering silently through the compound.
It seemed little had changed since they’d last been here, but it still seemed so empty. Steve wondered if that had been another reason that Tony had returned to live in the city.
He found Nat in the office, huddled before a computer screen.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he greeted her.
She shook her head. “No.”
She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. “Come look at this.”
Brow creasing, Steve obeyed, pulling over a nearby chair.
On the screen was a video. Nat pressed play, and it showed a figure in a red and blue suit swinging through the air on a string of web.
“Spider-Man?”
Nat nodded, clicking through more videos. Spider-Man stopping a bus with his bare hands before it could crash, Spider-Man helping a kitten out of a tree, Spider-Man swinging in to stop a mugging.
“Ok,” Steve said. “We already know the kid is strong, Nat. We saw that at the airport,” he reminded her.
Nat nodded again, and then pulled up different pages.
Peter Parker.
Pictured with his teammates at an Academic Decathlon event where they’d won on a school website. The same site, this time congratulating him on winning first prize at a science fair.
“Kid’s smart, Steve. Tony-smart,” Nat told him.
“Ok,” Steve said again, frowning.
The third page Nat pulled up was a series of images.
“I went digging through FRIDAY,” Nat shrugged unashamedly when Steve looked at her questioningly. “Found a folder on Tony’s private server.”
“You still have access to that?” Steve asked in surprise.
She grinned faintly. “Rhodey does- he’s terrible at picking good passwords.”
She began pulling up images, and very quickly a theme was revealed. Tony and Peter- working side by side in the lab, watching movies, out in the city, at Christmas, at what was clearly Tony and Pepper’s wedding. It was increasingly obvious that Peter was a prominent part of Tony’s life. And the affection for the kid was evident in Tony’s eyes.
“Tony’s a dad,” Nat whispered. “How about that, huh?”
Steve reached across her, pulling up a photo of Tony, Pepper and Peter at the wedding. Studying it, it was obvious why Tony had never reached out to them in the past two years. He looked happier than Steve ever remembered seeing him.
“At least something good came out of this mess,” he said.
Nat smiled faintly at him. “Yeah.”
“Why do you think he did it?” Steve asked her. “It doesn’t exactly look like he’s missed us.”
Nat’s face turned sombre. “Tony’s always thought something was coming, some big threat. Looks like Fury does too.”
“So?”
Nat nodded towards the screen. “Tony’s got more to protect than ever,” she pointed out. “We both know he’d do whatever is necessary for that.”
Hadn’t that been his intention behind Ultron originally?
A shield of armour around the world.
And Tony’s world was in that photo.
“What if Peter doesn’t make it?” Steve blurted out.
Nat winced. “Then Fury’s right. Tony’s going to need us.”
They waited another day, hoping Rhodey or Pepper might call. But they didn’t.
On Sunday morning, Nat and Steve drove into the city. It hadn’t taken much discussion among them all for it to be decided that it would be them- they both knew Tony the best. And it was allowed, under the conditions of their return, as long as they were back at the compound by nightfall.
FRIDAY must have alerted everyone that they had pulled up, because when the elevator stopped on the twelfth floor, they were met by Rhodey, his arms crossed over his chest. Steve’s eyes were immediately drawn to the metal braces on his legs and he fell silent, unsure how to start.
“We wanted to see how everyone is,” Nat said.
Rhodey’s posture didn’t change, but his eyes softened a little. “He hasn’t woken up yet,” he told them. “But his vitals are stronger. Helen’s hopeful.”
“And Tony?” Steve asked.
Rhodey’s lips thinned and he bowed his head slightly. “Too terrified to be hopeful. We can’t get him to sleep, he’ll barely eat. He won’t leave the kid’s side for anything.”
“Where’s Pepper?” Nat frowned.
“With May- Peter’s aunt,” Rhodey explained. “She’s not doing so well either. Peter’s all she has left. Pepper’s making her take a little walk and get some air. May’s not as damn stubborn as Tony is.”
Steve hesitated. “Can we see Tony?”
Rhodey paused thoughtfully and then sighed. “Don’t expect too much,” he warned them.
Steve nodded.
Rhodey led them through the halls until they came to a room. Nat came to an abrupt halt as she glanced through the glass door, a sharp intake of breath audible. Steve stepped up behind her to see for himself.
The sight of Peter Parker unconscious was one thing- his pale, still form so contrasted from the bright, lively face he and Nat had seen in the photos. It was enough to wrench at any heart. But Tony, sitting beside the bed, his face practically grey as he stared unblinkingly at Peter. That made Steve wince. He was sure that if he could see Tony’s eyes from here, they’d have that same pained, broken look that had come across them in that bunker in Siberia as he watched his parents die.
Rhodey turned to them before he opened the door, his face grave. “I know you’re not thrilled about Peter being Spider-Man and being so young. I get it. None of us are, really. Including Tony. But you haven’t been here, you don’t know everything. And right now, Tony really doesn’t need you on his case about this.”
“Don’t worry, Rhodes. We just want to make sure he’s ok,” Steve promised.
Tony didn’t move when Rhodey opened the door and led them into the room. Steve and Nat halted a little over the threshold, but Rhodey crossed the room to Tony’s side
“Tones?” he said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got visitors.”
Tony slowly turned his head towards Steve and Nat. He gave no real visible reaction at the sight of them except to blink a few times.
“Rhodes, am I hallucinating right now?” he asked hoarsely. “Because I feel like I’m seeing Captain America with a really awful beard.”
Steve rolled his eyes even as his shoulders eased slightly. Nat snorted slightly.
“You should be hallucinating,” Rhodey grumbled. “You’ve barely slept in days. But no, it’s real.”
“Huh.”
Nat moved forward and Tony rose to his feet as she approached, meeting her at the end of the bed.
“You’re blonde,” he greeted her.
“You’re observant,” Nat replied and then hugged him. Tony stiffened for a moment, before he slowly returned the hug.
Steve cautiously crossed the room, not sure what kind of greeting to expect. Sure, a joke about his beard was to be expected from Tony, but they hadn’t exactly parted on good terms.
“Hi Tony.”
Tony met his eyes as Nat pulled away, then nodded. “Rogers.”
Nat moved right past that, nodding her chin towards the bed. “So, this is Peter Parker, huh?”
Tony flinched faintly as his gaze returned to the bed, his eyebrows drawing together in worry, even as a corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile seemingly of its own accord. His hand twitched as though to reach out to Peter before he stopped himself, his fingers trembling visibly.
“Yeah,” Tony managed to say, his voice cracking slightly.
He cleared his throat, avoiding their gaze. “This is him.”
“He’s going to be pissed that you met him when he was asleep,” Rhodey said. “When he wakes up, you’ll have to pretend it’s the first time. Right, Tones?”
Tony flinched again, his chest hitching. Steve’s shoulders eased even further as he understood what Rhodey had meant about Tony being too terrified to be hopeful that Peter would wake up.
“Absolutely,” Steve said firmly. “We can do that.”
Tony looked to him, the corner of his mouth quirking again, not in affection this time, but in amusement. “Haven’t really missed that giddy optimism of yours, Cap. Gotta say.”
His gaze drifted back to Peter, his face sobering. “I didn't realise the day-”
“It’s fine, Tony,” Nat interrupted, her voice soft. “Rhodey filled us in.”
Tony hesitated, his shoulders straightening defensively. “I didn’t make him Spider-Man,” he said, still not looking at them. “He was already doing this for six months when I met him, swinging around Queens in goggles and a onesie.”
His voice cracked again there.
“I tried to make him stop… once. It didn’t go too well. He’s gonna do this thing regardless, so I figured the best thing I could do was… I was supposed to keep him safe,” his voice gave out.
“Tony, stop.”
Steve turned to face the woman standing in the doorway with Pepper. She looked as wrecked as Tony, but she crossed the room and took Tony’s trembling hands in hers.
“This is not your fault,” she said fiercely. “Do not blame yourself for this. It was an accident.”
Tony shook his head faintly, and Pepper handed him a container. “Honey, sit down and try and eat something,” she said gently. “Please?”
Tony accepted the container with a grimace, allowing Pepper to guide him back to his seat beside Peter’s bed, although he made no move to open the container and eat. The other woman turned to Nat and Steve questioningly.
“Natasha Romanoff,” Nat introduced herself, extending a hand.
“May Parker,” the woman replied, shaking it. “Peter’s aunt.”
“Steve Rogers,” Steve said quietly, also shaking her hand. “We just wanted to come and check on everyone.”
A flurry of emotions flickered across her face too quickly for Steve to decipher.
“Thank you,” she replied, turning back to her nephew.
Steve felt very much in the way here, among this family that Tony had formed for himself while they’d been gone. Nat must have felt similarly, because she excused themselves not long afterwards, citing the long drive back to the compound as an excuse.
Rhodey walked them down to the car silently.
“How bad is he hurt?” Nat asked.
“He had some minor burns and broken ribs,” Rhodey replied.
“Had?” Steve questioned.
Rhodey smiled faintly. “Kid’s got a pretty quick healing factor,” he explained. “They’ve pretty much all healed by now. But he’s got some slight swelling in the brain,” he continued soberly.
“That’s taking a bit longer to heal, and probably why he hasn’t woken yet. That’s what has Tony so freaked. May’s a nurse, so this isn’t exactly new to her and she’s willing to take Helen on her word that Peter’s going to be ok. But Tony, as much as he trusts Helen…”
“Will you keep us posted?” Steve asked. “Maybe once he’s awake, we could try again?”
Rhodey solemnly promised to keep them updated and then turned back to the elevator.
“Rhodey,” Nat called after him. “The legs?”
Rhodey glanced down at his legs and back at Nat. “Tony made them,” he explained, rather unnecessarily. “I’ve got some feeling, but no motion.”
“You look good,” Nat told him honestly.
Rhodey smiled in thanks and then left.
Peter awoke in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Rhodey reported to them later. Just long enough to recognise May and Tony by his side and ask about the people in the accident before falling asleep again.
Not wanting to crowd them, Nat and Steve waited until Friday before going back to the city, a whole week since they’d returned to New York. It simultaneously felt half and twice that long.
They all came this time, save for Bucky who was restricted to the compound still. Not that Bucky seemed to mind.
“How’s Tony?” Steve asked Pepper when they arrived.
She smiled, looking much lighter than when they’d last seen her. “Doing better. Still hovering incessantly over Peter though,” she rolled her eyes faintly.
“I’m sure Peter is thrilled by that,” Nat said dryly.
Pepper’s smile only widened. “He actually is though,” she laughed.
This time, as they entered the medbay, the room- and mood- were much lighter. Peter was still in bed, but propped up into a reclining position and awake. Tony was sitting on the bed beside him, while their heads were close together peering at something on a StarkPad.
Tony had regained some colour since the last time they’d been here, and the dark circles under his eyes weren’t as prominent.
“No,” he was saying flatly as they filed in the door. “That stays. Don’t even think about it, kid.”
“Come on,” Peter protested. “For how long?”
“Until you’re thirty-three and a half, for now. Then we can renegotiate.”
Peter quirked an eyebrow in a way that was so similar to Tony, Steve did a double take.
“Thirty-three and a half?” he questioned sceptically.
“Hey, I don’t make the rules.”
Peter rolled his eyes faintly. “Oh my God, you’re so lame,” he muttered, even as he leaned into Tony’s side, and rested his head against Tony’s shoulder comfortably.
Tony just smiled ever so slightly, his eyes soft as he kissed the crown of Peter’s head.
“Hey,” Pepper said, her voice warm as she headed over to them. “We have visitors.”
Both Tony and Peter looked over, Peter’s eyes widening slightly as he took in who was standing there, and his gaze immediately went right back to Tony.
“Hey,” Tony said simply.
“Hey,” Nat returned easily.
Tony’s gaze moved to Steve. “Is the beard staying then? It’s a fashion choice, not just a casualty of a shortage of razors you experienced?”
Steve rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the faint smile. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“Right.”
Nat walked past him to the bed, extending a hand to Peter. “Hi, Peter. I’m Nat. We haven’t technically met yet.”
“Hi,” Peter said uncertainly, shaking her hand.
“That’s Steve, Sam and Wanda,” she pointed to them each in turn. “I think you know Vision.”
“Hello, Peter,” Vision said warmly. “I’m glad to see you are recovering.”
“Hi Vision,” Peter said, smiling faintly. “Thanks.”
“Hi, Peter,” Steve greeted him.
Peter’s tone was perfectly polite as he greeted them all, but his eyes were rather wary. But that might have been Steve’s imagination.
“So, we were hoping to talk,” Steve addressed Tony, who nodded.
“Sure,” he agreed.
Steve didn’t miss the way Peter tensed slightly. The wariness was definitely not in his imagination. He suddenly wondered if Peter knew about Siberia.
Tony subtly squeezed Peter’s arm. “You’re about due for some more meds anyway, kiddo,” he said, swinging his legs off the bed.
Peter turned his head to meet Tony’s gaze, eyes wide. “No,” he protested. “Can’t I get up?”
Tony shook his head. “Nope. You know the orders. Not until you’ve gone six hours without headache or getting dizzy.”
Peter slouched, just shy of pouting. “I’m going to be stuck here forever,” he grumbled.
“Good. It’ll save me a coronary,” Tony replied dryly.
Peter’s gaze turned pleading. “Can’t you just-”
“Oh, you really are still healing if you think I’m crazy enough to go against May’s instructions,” Tony snorted.
He handed the StarkPad to Pepper. “Tag, you’re it.”
Pepper laughed, accepting it from him as he got up from the bed.
Sam and Nat led the way back out to the hall, and Steve was almost to the door, when Peter’s quiet murmur caught his ear.
“Tony?”
Steve glanced over his shoulder to see Tony backtracking to Peter’s side, hugging the kid tightly. Peter mumbled something that Steve couldn’t make out and Tony murmured something back. Peter opened his mouth as though to say something, frowned and then scowled lightly at Tony.
“That’s cheating,” he said, setting his jaw.
Tony grinned and kissed the top of his head again. “I’ll be back in a flash, Underoos,” he promised.
Peter still didn’t look happy as Tony left the Medbay. Tony led the way to the elevator in silence, taking them up to the penthouse.
“Anyone want a drink?” Tony offered. “We’ve got coffee, tea, water, soda, juice…”
“Soda, please,” Nat said.
Tony glanced over his shoulder at her as he opened the fridge. “Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew… or this disgusting orange vanilla Coke, if you’re desperate or dumb.”
“If it’s disgusting, why do you have it?” Nat retorted.
“Because the weird spider-child in my Medbay likes it,” Tony grumbled, his tone heavily laced with affection for said spider-child, despite his apparently poor taste in soda flavours.
Nat grinned at him, heading over to the kitchen. “I’ve got to try this now.”
“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Steve accepted a tea, while Sam and Wanda just took water. It took Steve longer than he was willing to admit to realise that no alcohol had been offered, and the bar that had formerly been in the penthouse was gone.
There were many changes to the penthouse now that he was really looking. It seemed warmer, homier than he remembered. More lived in. Photos littered the walls and surfaces- real photos, not merely pieces of art. It was just another sign of the family Tony had built for himself while they were gone.
“How’s Peter healing?” Steve asked once they all had their drinks and were seated.
Tony winced slightly. “Getting there,” he said. “Not fast enough for any of our liking, but enough that his aunt feels comfortable enough to go back to work.”
“What does she do?” Sam asked.
“She’s a nurse at Mount Sinai in Queens,” Tony replied. “But I’m assuming you didn’t come here to make small talk.”
They all seemed to look to Steve at that, so he nodded. “Right. We wanted to talk about how the team is going to work now.”
Tony’s face didn’t change, but something shifted in his eyes that made Steve frown.
“Tony? You are still part of the team, right?”
Tony paused, taking a sip of his coffee. “In a technical sense,” he agreed.
“Which means what exactly?” Nat asked.
He shrugged. “I’m still making everything and paying for everything. And if something big goes down, I’ll be there. But I’m mostly taking a step back.”
“Why?” Wanda asked.
Tony shrugged again. “It’s not exactly new. If you remember, I stepped down after the whole Ultron deal,” he reminded them.
“What counts as big?” Sam demanded. “Who’s making that decision? What if we need you, but you don’t count it as big enough to concern yourself with?”
Tony’s eyes narrowed. “Weird. You didn’t seem to be concerned with what would have happened if something big had happened these last few years. When it was just me, Rhodey and Vision around. But now you’re worried I’m going to leave you in the lurch?”
Steve straightened defensively. “That’s not fair, Tony,” he said quietly. “You had a way to get in touch if you needed us.”
“That flip phone? Please,” Tony scoffed. “And I didn’t say I wouldn’t be around. I’m not going to pull a Banner and Thor, drop off the face of the Earth.”
“Sam’s right though,” Nat said carefully. “Who’s making the call whether a situation is big enough to call you in?”
“We’ll talk,” Tony said dismissively.
Steve frowned. “Tony, we agreed to let a panel from the UN decide where the Avengers were needed,” he reminded him. “Not all of us were thrilled about that, but it’s been decided. But now you’re giving yourself the power to make the same call?”
“Oh, the UN is not a dictatorship,” Tony snapped. “You get a voice. You should know that if you read the new Accords before signing them.”
“But none of us get to make that same call,” Sam pointed out irritably. “None of us get to decide that a situation is too small for us to worry about. Why are you so damn special?”
Tony’s eyes flashed. “Because I have a kid,” he snapped. “I have a kid who spends his nights swinging around Queens stopping muggers and bicycle thieves and stumbles across God knows what, and I need to be here to back him up when he gets over his head, or gets hurt. I have a kid who’s already lost his parents, and his uncle before he was fifteen years old, and I’m not going to put him through that again if I can help it.”
He placed his mug down hard enough that some of the liquid sloshed over the sides. “Barton retired for his family, and I don’t see you nagging him about this,” he pointed out.
“That’s different,” Wanda argued. “Clint’s kids are-”
Tony stared at her as she cut herself off. “His kids are what?” he asked her. “Biologically his? Is that the difference? His kids are worth more than Peter because they share his DNA?”
Wanda said nothing, but her face flushed pink.
“Tony, that’s not-”
Tony turned back to Steve, cutting him off. The hurt in his eyes was fully evident.
“You know what, Cap?” he said quietly. “That thing you said before- I had a way to get in touch if I needed you? That’s the thing. I didn’t need you. I don’t need you.”
Steve flinched, even though it was nothing he hadn’t thought to himself in the past week. It was fairly obvious Tony had done quite well without the team here.
“Then why bother with the Accords?” Sam argued. “With getting us pardoned?”
“Because this isn’t about me,” Tony shot back. “Believe it or not, Wilson, I don’t think I’m the centre of the universe. I helped get you home for your families. For the world. Because if something big comes, I need my family to be safe. I need to make sure that they’re all safe.”
“So, if aliens attack New York again, you’re in? But if they pop into France or somewhere, you’ll sit back and wave us off?” Sam demanded.
“Is that what I said?” Tony asked.
“We’re just trying to get an idea of what this means, Tony,” Nat tried to calm him.
“Right. And you’re going to have this same conversation with Barton?” he challenged her. “Where’s Lang sit on this? He’s got a kid, right? And he’s across the country. Is he moving in so he can be on call for every mission? What about T’Challa?”
Silence met him.
Tony nodded. “So, it’s just me then?”
“You’re Iron Man,” Nat reminded him.
“Rhodey’s suit does everything mine does,” Tony countered. “I seem to remember being told that I kept screwing up. Ultron, Sokovia, the Accords… all on me, I get it. ‘Every time I think you're seeing things the right way…’”
Steve flinched, recognising his own words.
“I should think you’d be thrilled to only have to worry about me making the equipment and footing the bills. I can’t screw anything up then, right? Well, except the kid, but he seems pretty determined to stick around, despite me warning him that’s a bad idea.”
“Tony,” Nat said softly.
“Boss,” FRIDAY’s voice interjected. “Pepper is asking for you in the Medbay. It’s Peter.”
Tony was on his feet in an instant, heading for the elevator and leaving the rest of them all sitting there.
Nat took a sip of her soda, which she hadn’t touched to this point, and made a face. “That is awful,” she muttered and then following after Tony.
Steve and the others rose too.
By the time they made it to the Medbay, Tony was already disappearing into Peter’s room.
Pepper stepped out as the others approached, allowing them only a glimpse of the room in darkness and two figures close together before the door and all the blinds were lowered, sealing the room in darkness.
“What happened?” Nat asked worriedly.
“Peter’s senses are enhanced,” Pepper murmured. “Dialled to eleven, he puts it. Sometimes he gets sensory overload attacks. They’ve been happening more frequently since the accident. Helen says it’ll sort itself out eventually as he heals, but Peter really only wants May or Tony with him when they happen.”
She headed down the hall, gesturing for them to follow. “Tony won’t be back for a while,” she warned him. “It can take up to an hour to get Peter to sleep when this happens, and even then, he has a habit of clinging to Tony in his sleep,” she chuckled softly, her eyes filled with warmth. “In which case, Tony’s really stuck until Peter wakes up.”
Pepper glanced over at Steve as they reached the elevator. “Did you work everything out?”
Steve grimaced. “Not exactly,” he said.
“Tony said he’s stepping back from the team,” Nat volunteered.
“And?” Pepper asked.
Steve faltered. “We got stuck on deciding what situations warrant Tony’s involvement and who makes that call,” he said carefully.
Pepper said nothing until they’d returned to the penthouse. “He’s not going to abandon you if you need him.”
“We know,” Steve said quickly.
“But is our word that we need him good enough?” Wanda asked.
“Yes,” Pepper said simply, taking a seat.
“You know that for sure?” Sam asked doubtfully, as they also sat down.
Pepper levelled him with a long, hard stare for a moment. “I feel like I’ve spent most of my relationship with Tony trying to get him to stop being Iron Man. To walk away from the suit. He’s tried. A few times. You know what always gets him in the end? He can’t rest,” she said.
“He would have walked away, rest or no rest, after everything that happened with the Accords. He was done.”
“What changed?” Wanda asked.
“Peter,” Nat said quietly, and Pepper nodded with a smile.
“Peter,” she confirmed. “Tony won’t leave him unprotected until he’s ready. Or, more than likely, until Tony’s physically unable to protect him himself,” Pepper rolled her eyes faintly, but didn’t seem too perturbed by that idea.
“So, yes. If you asked Tony to suit up, he would. But Peter is always going to come first for him, and you need to understand that.”
Tony hadn’t returned by the time they left the Tower two hours later, and the drive back to the compound was largely quiet. When they returned, Steve went to his office. Bucky found him not long afterwards, letting himself in to sit opposite him.
“How’d it go?”
Steve sighed and recounted everything that had happened.
“Is it because of me? That Stark’s quit?” Bucky asked quietly.
“I think if it was, Tony wouldn’t have hesitated to say so,” Steve said honestly. “But I don’t know if you factored into his decision at all. Look, I can’t say I blame him, wanting to be around for Peter. But Tony’s a good fighter.”
“I remember,” Bucky said a little wryly.
Steve managed a faint smile. “He’s a good fighter. He’s a good person to have on your side in a battle. What if a situation goes south, and Tony isn’t there, but he could’ve had an idea that might have won it for us?”
“He can call in,” Nat said from the doorway, making them both jump. “Neither Tony or Pepper said he was going to ignore every mission. He’s just going to be more selective about when he goes on the field with us.”
“You know,” said Clint’s voice, and Steve jumped again. He hadn’t really registered Nat’s phone in her hand. “As much fun as we had, zooming around the world to invade HYDRA bases, I had other things I would’ve rather been doing.”
Steve raised an eyebrow at Nat. “You filled him in?”
“Of course,” she said, plopping into the seat next to Bucky.
“I missed school recitals, Laura’s ultrasounds, birthday parties,” Clint said. “Hell, tucking my kids into bed and reading them bedtime stories. I came back from one mission to find out Lila fell off the monkey bars at school and broke her arm. If any of my kids were out there fighting crime? I would’ve put my foot down too. Told you guys to go to hell, and call me when the apocalypse comes.”
“What if it’s too late then?” Steve asked.
Clint paused. “The worst things we’ve ever faced- besides each other- that I can think of? Loki, and Ultron? We knew from the get-go things were bad.”
“Hm, you were a little slow on the Loki situation. He did brainwash you,” Nat pointed out.
“Shut up, Tasha,” Clint returned easily. “Look, I don’t agree with Stark much. But this? I’m on his side.”
“You’re on his side?” Wanda said as she and Sam joined them all in the office. “Peter isn’t actually his child.”
“Nat’s not my sister, but she’s still my kids’ aunt,” Clint pointed out. “Not all families are blood, Wanda. I think you know that. Come on.”
“I say that we trust Tony on this,” Nat spoke up as Wanda considered that. “If there’s a time when we need him and he refuses? Then we can re-evaluate. But you know, not all of us are super-soldiers, Steve. We age. Eventually, we’re going to need to retire, because we won’t physically be able to fight anymore. Just like Clint.”
“Alright, I’m hanging up now,” Clint said. “Thanks for coming back to the country to insult me, Natasha, I’ve really missed these special moments.”
“Any time,” Nat grinned and ended the call.
Sam looked to Steve solemnly. “You trust Stark to have our back when we need him?”
Steve set his jaw. “I do.”
Sam considered that and then sighed. “Alright. I’ll give him a chance,” he agreed.
Wanda nodded reluctantly. Bucky didn’t say anything, but Steve knew his friend was on his side. He turned to Nat though.
“Tony had a point about Lang and T’Challa,” he admitted. “Even Clint. When can we call them in? Can we? If it is the apocalypse…”
“We’ll work it out,” Nat said confidently.
When he was left alone in the office again, Steve let out a breath.
He hadn’t been lying to Sam. He trusted Tony. Or rather, he wanted to. He knew he had to, if they were going to be any kind of team again, regardless of Tony’s level of involvement.
He wasn’t too sure if Tony trusted them, but he supposed the fact that they were here was a fairly positive sign.
It would just take time, on both sides.
Steve could be patient.
The End