Chapter Text
To summarize Tony's live presently. It was a clusterfuck. Captain America, his "friend" knew who killed his parents and didn't tell him for who knows how long? Oh, and need he mention that said Captain protected his friend and assassin the Winter Soldier who killed HIS PARENTS. Then due to his fuck ups Rhodey could no longer serve in the military, and Pepper couldn't deal with the fact he attacked his own friends, so she left him. So Tony sat, and drank, and tried to think where it all went wrong. It was James Buchanan Barnes fault! Tony might be petty for it, but he had printed copies of his face and pinned them to the wall for target practice. Sometimes Rhodey or Vision would come into his workshop during one of these rage sessions, and shake their heads sadly as Tony used his repulsors to burn Barnes face off.
So Tony thought for a long time on how to fix things. It wasn't entirely sane. It was insane probably, building a time machine. Vision sometimes would give his work a quizzical, and worrying glance.
"Wanda, I'm just wondering if you've heard anything?" asked Vision a few months after during one of his daily visits to check in on Tony.
"Not since the prison break, no"
"Oh, oh right. Of course, well" said Vision a little sadly. "I'm going to read another one of those fictional books. Very interesting those. Do you mind if I use the wall? Wanda used to hate when I didn't use the door"
"Go for it," he gestured to the wall.
"Thank you, and be careful Mr. Stark."
Tony nodded, and gazed back at his new blueprints. He didn't have time to dwell on it but, Vision seemed almost sad that Wanda wasn't around. Focus Tony, time travel. All he needed to do was go back to the past and kill Barnes. He would have the opportunity to make things right with Dad, make him proud. He didn't have to be such a disappointment. He could apologize for being, well himself. The Civil War between the Avengers never would happen, and perhaps not the Accords. And Cap...Well maybe they could be friends. Would he even want to though? Tony wasn't sure. Tony would probably never be sure again with Steve. He still carried the burner phone in his pocket. Just in case. He never dialed the one contact on the phone either. He would stare at it in annoyance sometimes. He was often tempted to take the damn thing apart and make it into a better phone but, he might break it. And if he broke it he couldn't contact Steve. Not that he was going to.Steve hadn't even sent him the charger for the damn thing. So Tony Stark of all people have to find a flip phone charger. It was incredibly embarrassing. Rhodey had raised his eyebrows at the purchase of such an old phone charger but, had said nothing. Tony was grateful.
Tony put on the golden trim. It was done. He just needed to test it tomorrow.
"Sir, Natasha has arrived," said Friday.
"Alright, I'll head out and greet her I guess since I'm finished up here. Lock down the lab"
Tony was in a better mood than he had been in ages. Tomorrow, he would go to the past. Tomorrow would make today better. He avoided thinking about paradoxes and all that stuff. It would all work out...Somehow. Tony got changed, into nicer clothes than he had worn in ages.
Tony approached the entry way, when he heard angry voices.
"Are you sure?" said Natasha
"I'm positive, what ever Stark has created is dangerous and can create a space time paradox. I'm not sure exactly what it does but, he plans on testing it tomorrow. I need you to blow up the lab tonight. Make it look like an accident."
"You make it sound easy," scowled Natasha.
"Stark, isn't in his right frame of mind. This project had consumed him. When he is like this he creates things that are-"
"Killing machines?"
"I was going to say problematic inventions, but I supposed your wording is also adequate"
Tony felt his blood boil, his pulse quickened, and his heavy got ragged.
"Show yourself. I can hear you" said Natasha.
Tony stepped from behind the wall. Natasha sighed, and Vision looked hardly surprised at all. He seemed to just have expected this.
"You're not going to destroy it," he snapped.
"I have to Tony," she said. "I'm sorry."
"So am I," he yelled. "Friday initiate dark lock"
"DARK LOCK INITIATED" screeched Friday. Vision rolled his eyes, as Tony ran down the hallway. Large metal grates trapped Vision and Natasha in the entryway.
"So, what's the plan?" she asked Vision. She turned to see him walking through the metal grate like a pool of jello. "God, I hate you all sometimes." She turned and smashed the nearest window.
"Guess I'll take the long way around," she yelled.
Tony ran and ran his heart bursting through his chest. God, he needed to work out more. He found himself face to face with Vision who walked through a wall. God, no wonder Wanda hated that.
"I'm sorry Mr. Stark. but this is necessary,"
"FRIDAY BOTS NOW" yelled Tony. The wall opened up next to them to reveal a swarm of them.
"Roombas?" asked Vision incredulously.
"Sure," smiled Tony as the roombas opened their tops to reveal mini missles.
"OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE, MR STARK--"
The missile barrage hit Vision and Tony slide past him down the hallway. and punched in the code to enter the lab. Tony typed as fast as he code punching the date. The day before it happened. Fortunately, he had already put what he needed in the capsule. A gun, and some cash of that era plus a sweet looking leather jacket.
Almost, there.
BOOM.
Tony jumped startled to see Natasha had bombed his wall.
"THAT WAS MY WALL!" he yelled.
"You kinda imprisoned me in your entryway," she said arms folded.
"Fair point," he said, and finished typing, and buckled himself in.
"Stark, do not push that big red button," she said eyeing it warily.
"Sorry, we are doing this by my rules. I also don't want to listen to someone who blew up my wall," as Tony reached for the button Natasha lunged forward to grab on. Tony punched it. She might come with him, she might not. Too late now.
FWISHHHHH and a beam of white light filled the room followed by a crackling noise.
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Natasha looked around here in horror. Tony and his invention were gone. She held a part of his ship? weird time space chair? She had managed to rip it off. Not that had helped any. She had hoped if she couldn't reach the button that perhaps ripping it apart with her bear hands might break it. Damn reliable Stark tech!
"Fuck," she muttered.
Jarvis suddenly appeared through the wall.
"Where's Mr.Stark?"
"I was too late. I couldn't stop him."
"Why not?"
"What do you mean why not? What's your excuse Mr. I Can Walk Through Walls and Fly?" she snapped.
"I probably shouldn't say..."said Vision. "So he's gone? Completely?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yep, the UN Council is going to carve our asses on a plate," she sighed, the piece in her hand. She threw it to Vision. "Think you can figure out what Tony was trying to build from this. It's a piece of it"
"I can try."
Try was all they had.