AN: Written as a comment-fic. Second fic in the arranged series.
Nick stared at the plans in front of him, he had a long way to go before he could get everything slotted into place like he wanted. His plans were a long term project, one that he had been working on for years. The Avengers initiative was something that was close to his heart, and he would see it, and his many other plans through.
At the moment things had a long way to go, people really weren't doing as he needed them to. Stark was a loose cannon, the man was self-destructing and he would be of no use to them if he burnt out or killed himself. He was dying, yes that was true, but only because the man was too stubborn to examine all the options that were there for him. Nick would give him a push, and soon, before he did something stupid. He would send Coulson to keep an eye on him, knowing that the other man would be able to keep the overgrown child in check, he had done marvellously with the Black Widow and Hawkeye after all.
The Black Widow and Hawkeye were the two members of the Avengers that he was proudest of, they had come so far since they had first been brought into SHIELD. Hawkeye was away with Coulson at the moment and the Widow was babysitting Stark for him, keeping him updated on all the comings and goings of the man.
Steve Rogers was being recovered as he thought, he had the latest reports from the team tasked with the mission of finding Captain America, and it seemed as though the good captain would be up and about when Nick began to pull the Avengers together.
Bruce Banner on the other hand was off grid so to speak, or as close to it as he could manage. SHIELD knew his rough location, but bringing him in when the time was right would be a challenge, perhaps he would send Widow, allow her some fun.
Banner was going to be as big a problem as Stark to deal with, keeping him around and grounded was going to be a large problem. If he had everything right though there was a solution to the problems both men would cause him. He just needed to get the two of them together, Banner would curb Stark's wild side, and Stark would tie Banner down, as a research partner if nothing else. They had the potential to be more though, Nick was sure of it.
Once he had all the Avengers in place he would work on getting Banner and Stark together, he would get the Widow to help him. Hawkeye and Coulson would be of no use in the mission, they would still be in the honeymoon phase. Stability of the team depended on the relationship of Banner and Stark working, and Nick refused to let the Avengers project fail for anything trivial.