CHAPTER 7
After what seemed like a lifetime, Tony was finally able to make his grand speech, thanking everyone who attended the Charity Gala and their more than generous contributions. Endless handshakes and fake smiles finally got him to the door of the Gala and down the stairs outside to where Happy stood waiting with the car to take him back to the safety of the Compound.
"Happy, I am so relieved to see you I could either cry or kiss you, my man."
"Let's take Door C, Sir and get you home instead. That saves us both from any embarrassment that options A and B would cause us." Happy replied as he opened the door for him.
Tony slid into the car and collapsed into the leather seats.
"Happy," he called to his friend and driver, "Any chance you've been monitoring the news like I asked?"
As they pulled out onto the roads and started the drive to the Compound Happy replied, "Yes Sir, Mr. Stark, the video has been up for a while now. I think you'll be reaching a new record of views before morning."
Tony only smiled wryly. "Good. As long as having that sleaze ball's hands all over me was worth it."
"I should warn you though, I think you'll be in for the ass kicking of your life when you get home. I've got about 15 missed calls from Miss Potts and another 20 or so from both Mrs. Barton and Lang, as well as a few others. I'm going to save a particularly nasty voicemail from Colonel Rhodes for you to listen to whenever you miss him."
Tony laughed at that, glad that he had shared his plan with Happy beforehand.
"Have I ever told you how perfectly you fit in my life, Happy?"
He saw Happy's smile in the rear view mirror as he responded, "I'd get some sleep if I were you, Sir, you might only have about 30 minutes left to live."
Tony shut his eyes and relaxed into his seat. Yes, he was pretty sure that he was in for an ass kicking when he got home. Hopefully Laura would let him snuggle Nathaniel a little bit first.
"Is our friendly neighborhood Wakandan following us?"
Happy checked his mirrors again before answering, "Indeed he is, sir. Keeping a bit of distance but he will be right behind us."
True to his word, Happy had them pulling up to the Compound about 30 minutes later. As they pulled up to the gate Tony rolled his window down and waved T'Challa's car up along side his window.
"Follow us into the garage, will you? Choose any parking spot except for number 4, that's where I like to tell Spiderman to park his tricycle when he comes over." He flashed the King a smile and wink as they pulled away, the King shaking his head at the joke.
After pulling into the compound and parking he dismissed Happy and thanked him for everything he did, giving him the day off tomorrow.
After Happy had left he turned back to T'Challa and motioned for him to follow him to the elevator. Once inside, the King turned toward him with a look on his face that clearly indicated he was waiting for an explanation.
Tony smirked and said, "In a moment, your Higher-Highness. I don't think I have the energy to explain things twice. Let me put the kids to bed and the grown-ups will all sit down and talk."
T'Challa raised his eyebrows at the mention of kids, but said nothing, waiting until the elevator doors slid open to reveal organized chaos unfolding in the Avengers Compound living space.
"Uncle Tony!" At least three chorus of voices yelled out as they stepped off the elevator.
T'Challa watched dumbstruck as Tony bent down on one knee and received three children barreling into his arms at near full speed. Tony caught them easily, though he swayed slightly upon impact. A fourth child, much smaller, was squealing in his mother's arms, tiny hands outstretched towards Tony Stark.
Tony groaned as he picked up Cassie and Lila, one in each arm, and began to stumble towards the couches with Cooper hanging on to his leg like a Koala.
"I'm getting way too old for this; you guys know that right? One day when I can't stand and you all have to feed and dress me, you'll remember this moment."
T'Challa recovered from the spectacle unfolding in front of him enough to barley step out of the elevator and on to the floor before the doors closed on him.
Laura Barton stood from the kitchen chair and walked over to where Tony had made it back to the largest couch before he had collapsed onto it with the three children hanging off his body. Tony's hands reached out with grabby hands as he said "Oh yes, gimme that little butterball!" and reached for the chubby baby she had in her arms. She lowered Nathaniel onto his lap and Tony's arms circled around the child protectively. After doing so she stepped back and immediately put her hands on her hips.
The look on Tony's face suggested he knew full well that he was in trouble. Maggie Lang came to stand beside Laura Barton with her hands on her hips as well, Tony cleared his throat and said quickly, "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce our guest, King T'Challa of Wakanda, please, meet Laura Barton and Maggie Lang."
Inwardly, T'Challa shook his head at his own stupidity. Of course, the only way for the Barton and Lang family could have disappeared off the face of the Earth would be if Tony Stark had wanted them to.
The two women shot Tony a look that clearly communicated that they weren't fooled by his delaying tactic, but turned toward the King and smiled politely anyways.
Laura offered him her hand and said "Hello Your Highness, you look very nice. Did you enjoy the Gala?"
He smiled and nodded as he shook her hand and then Maggie's, replying, "I did indeed, thank you. It was beautifully put together."
Just as Maggie opened her mouth to say something else the bell to the elevator signaled another arrival to the floor and opened to reveal a seething Pepper Potts, still in her dress from the Gala. She stepped off the elevator and made a beeline for Tony at the same time that a door opened and Natasha and Bruce came walking back into the room.
Tony immediately stood and held up a hand to Pepper and then turned and held the same hand up to Natasha. T'Challa thought he looked like a man who knew he was cornered, but had one last ditch plan to save himself.
"Alright hold on, before anyone says anything I think it's past these kid's bedtime, isn't that right squirts? Let's get that done and then we can all come back in here and you can plan how best to end my life together, okay?"
Tony stood and gathered all of the kids around him as he ushered them down the hallway toward what T'Challa assumed must have been their bedrooms. As they passed him, Tony leaned in and whispered, "If you thought I was above using these kids as a human shield right now, you are wrong. And before you blame me, look at the daggers being glared into my back right now."
He tried to keep the smile off of his face as he observed the absolutely murderous looks that Pepper, Natasha, Laura, and Maggie were sending Tony's direction.
"Somehow, Mr. Stark, I can't help but wonder if those daggers aren't a bit deserved?"
Tony pretended to look hurt at the King's obvious siding with the angry women. "And to think I invited you into my home tonight."
T'Challa continued to smile as he watched Tony Stark heard the children down the hall into their bedrooms.
"Your Highness, you are more than welcome to take a seat anywhere, just watch for crayons and orange slices as you sit down." Maggie smiled at him as she turned and began to pick up all of the children's items in the room.
He smiled kindly in response and tried to discreetly check the cushion as he lowered himself into a chair next to the couch. Pepper, Natasha, and Bruce sat on the longest couch, leaving an open space which was suddenly occupied by Vision, though T'Challa didn't know just when the AI had come into the room.
Maggie and Laura lowered themselves onto the two-person couch, leaving one last empty chair for Tony.
"It's nice to see you all again." He tried for nonchalant as he addressed Natasha, Vision, and Bruce."
"Likewise, King T'Challa." Vision replied.
After extending pleasantries inquiring into each others welfare, Tony finally came walking back down the hallway and immediately raised both hands in what he clearly hoped was a calming gesture as he came into the room.
"Alright, I already know you are upset, I'm sure it has to do with the video Channel 7 aired."
"Wow Tony," came Natasha's reply, "You really are a genius aren't you?"
"Okay, Nat, listen, I know I didn't talk to you about it first, but I promise I am not as stupid as you think I am right now. It was part of a plan, I swear."
"A plan?" Laura hissed.
"What the hell Tony, what kind of a plan involved you making out like a horny teenager in the stairwell at your Gala, huh?" Pepper was positively livid at this point. "You promised me Tony, you promised you would be on your best behavior tonight! Is this what you would call your best behavior?"
"Tony." Natasha almost growled out his name. "Do you have any idea what you looked like tonight. Do you?"
Tony felt his patience wear thin. He was exhausted from playing the part of a different person all night. All he really wanted right now was to smoke a joint to relax and go to sleep. Since that wasn't an option with the kids around, sleep would have to be good enough.
"What did I look like Nat, huh? Tell me." She shook her head. "Tell me what I looked like on that stairwell, say it. Come on, I know you want to say it so do it, spit it out, I looked…?" He goaded her on, poking at her, knowing she was already nearly angry enough to break.
"I believe a common term might be whore?" Tony couldn't help his eyes widen at Vision's statement.
"While I wouldn't choose that word exactly, I wont say he's wrong. I would say pathetic is better suited, Tony! You looked pathetic! Are you happy now?" Natasha almost screamed at him.
"Yes, pathetic, how about out of control? Did I look out of control?" He shot back.
"Yes!" Both Laura and Maggie answered together.
"Pathetic, out of control, immature? Good, then I deserve the fucking Oscar for Best Actor tonight, don't I?!" Tony shouted to the group.
"You- wait, what?" Natasha faltered, confused.
"Nat, do you really think I would do something like this? That's why you are all so mad right, because it doesn't seem like me?"
"No, Tony, it doesn't. It seems like the public version of you." This time it was Vision who spoke up.
"Exactly, that's because its not me. You know that. This isn't me. But I need everyone to think it is. That's the only way the plan works." Tony was so tired.
T'Challa leaned forward as he asked, "The plan?"
"Yes, the plan. I am so sorry I had to keep you all out of the loop but now that it's rolling I can tell you. The only way that we get the old team back is if Ross and the others think it was their idea. The Accords need to be amended legally for them to come back safely, but it can't look as if it is for happening for them. We need to make all the mistakes so that they amend them as they should. I've already lined up a few missions that will push those items of concern to the forefront. The last hurdle is to make them think that we are bringing them back because they want them back. Ross wants to make me unhappy because I have been making his life hell. How is he going to do that? By bringing back the one thing he thinks I want to stay gone. I'm out of control, yes, so when was the last time they felt like I was under control? When I had a holier-than-thou Star Spangled bastard keeping me in line. So, they'll want to put me back in line, right? The best way to do that is get him back here, but they can't do that unless they think they can control him too. We all know that the one thing we can rely on to manipulate the good Captain; James Barnes."
His reveal was met by stunned silence.
"First step is to get The Winter Soldier back."
Pepper stepped in, asking, "Why would anyone want the Winter Solider back, Tony? The public sees him as a murderer, he is a murderer. Ross doesn't need him."
Ah, his Pepper, always so quick.
"He doesn't need him right now. We need to show the world James Buchannan Barnes becoming the Winter Solider. Once the world sees the innocent Brooklyn boy taken and twisted into preforming heinous crimes, his life ripped apart and his mind broken, I have absolute faith they won't be able to ignore it. Ross will have to do some damage control, after all, we hunted him down on his orders."
Bruce's eyes were bright as he studied Tony intently. It was incredible to him, to watch Tony's mind and soul continuously surprise him. The world believed Tony Stark to be a selfish and cynical futurist. The truth was, at his core, Tony Stark believed in humanity almost more than anyone he had ever met. Tony trusted the world to look at James Barnes and see a man who had been in too much pain for far too long, instead of the murderous tool he had been turned into. Tony trusted the world to see James Barnes in a way that they had never been kind enough to see him in, although he deserved it just as much. Bruce felt the unfairness of the situation twist in his stomach.
T'Challa's voice brought him back to the conversation at hand. The King clearly felt he needed to clear one thing up.
"Do you trust yourself to help the Winter Solider, after what happened last time you and he were in a room together?"
All of the eyes in the room moved between the King and Tony. Tony gave the King a small sad smile.
"You don't have to worry about mincing your words here, your Highness. Everyone in this room knows the truth about Siberia. They've seen the video. Nat, you showed Bruce already?"
Bruce gave a quick nod, his eyes giving off a green hue for a moment before Natasha slid her hand into his. Just as quickly as it had come, the green was gone with a blink and a deep breath.
T'Challa surprise showed on his face only momentarily before he nodded and asked boldly, "Alright Mr. Stark. Last time you were in a room with James Barnes, you nearly killed each other. As far as the public knows, you hunted the man down because he was a threat."
With a solemn nod, Tony braces himself to finally lay down the most difficult part of his plan. He knew it was an essential piece, although he wished it didn't have to be this way.
"The only thing that will pardon the Winter Solider is to expose the truth. What happened to Barnes, the horror he endured, the life he was forced to forget, and worst of all, the lives he was forced to take. The public needs to watch The Winter Solider murder Howard and Maria Stark."
Laura was out of her seat like a shot. "Tony, no, absolutely not. First of all, that doesn't make any sense! The second the world sees that video there will be no coming back for him. The world will never forgive him for murdering your parents, just like I doubt I ever will. I know we have talked about it, but I am telling you Tony, I just can't. I can't do that, not even for you."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she stood breathless.
Leaning forward, Tony gently took her hand in his own. "Laura, sweetheart, I know. I'm not done though. Please, give me a little more of your time to explain. Can you do that for me, Mama Bird?"
Tony looked up into her eyes as the tears fell down her cheeks at the use of the nickname he had given her when they had moved into the Compound with him. Shakily, she sat back down and leaned into the Maggie's embrace.
"You're right, the world will never forgive him, unless I can do it first. If I stand up and forgive James Barnes, what right does the world have to condemn him? The Winter Soldier took my family from me, not Barnes. It's important that the world makes the distinction between the two."
He has to release the video and then stand up and in the same breath, forgive the man. The orphan has to forgive the man who made him one.
T'Challa was sure that there was no air of royalty around him now, as he sat gaping like a fish.
"Is this the mask you will wear for the public, or is this the voice of your heart?"
Tony's wry smile looked a bit more like a grimace. "I never meant to blame Barnes. I did in the moment and I attacked him, yes, but I never should have. My pain was in the betrayal of my teammate for the lie and part he played in hiding the biggest loss in my life. He knew that the person he was throwing everything away for was the person who had taken everything from me. So, I tried to take away what mattered to him." He shrugged, eyes full of guilt. "I don't have anything to say worth hearing to excuse how wrong and pathetic that is, and I know that. There isn't anything I can do to change it now; all I can do is fix what I can. And I can fix Barnes."
"After the release of the video and information on Barnes, Ross will need to do damage control. The only way to salvage the situation will be to have me forgive the murderer of my parents. Ross already thinks I am not using my skills and my brain to keep myself out of trouble, so what's the best way for them to keep me out of trouble? To occupy me. But they need something big, right, something they think I've already begun work on. Que King T'Challa."
All eyes turned on him for a moment. "Me?"
Tony nodded. "I need the King here to helpfully suggest that my BARF technology could help a certain Winter Super Solider take his life back and fight for the good guys. Everyone loves and underdog comeback story. They'll dump a brainwashed assassin in my lap and tell me that upon pain of death, I am supposed to fix him. Publicly, Ross will demand I smile and forgive Barnes. In private, I give just the right amount of believable push back and Ross thinks that he has me dancing on his strings. Once Ross is convinced we have the Winter Soldier on our side, he will be eager to correct the very public blunder of the Avengers break up. He will use Barnes' situation to offer the proverbial olive branch to the wayward Avengers and tell them that they are welcome to come home. After all Rogers did for Barnes, Ross would be right to assume that he would come back if it meant he got to be near his precious "Bucky". Ross thinks that Barnes will be the key to keeping Captain America in line and Captain America will in turn keep me in line."
All eyes simply continued to stare at him, no one making a sound. Right, better press on then, he thought.
"This is where you come in, Bruce. Right as this whole thing is coming together, you and I take Ross down, hard. You have the evidence to do it. T'Challa has the pull within the UN to make sure that he goes down in front of the leaders of the world. After revealing his past with the blunders he made during "Civil War", no one will want to touch him, they will wash their hands of him and everything he stood for. The Olive Branch will have already been extended to the Rouge Avengers. At that time, we stress the importance of having the Avengers back to fight the growing threats in the world. It puts public opinion back into our court. We push through the last changes to the Accords and bam, you all have your family back and the world has the Avengers together where it needs them."
The people in the room all sat there with their jaws nearly on the floor.
"And what about you, Tony, what do you have?" T'Challa asked.
Tony turned towards him and laughed. "Me? Nothing. Hopefully I still have all of you. But after the others are back, I step down. I can't do this "Avenging" thing anymore. We all know I have my share of problems, I'm a liability at this point. Also, for my own reasons, I wont be able to work with the team, I know that and so do you."
Natasha moved off the couch and sunk to her knees in front of him. "Tony, you can't really think the rest of us would be okay fighting side by side with them after you left."
Tony's smile grew as he replied easily, "Nat, you know that I do. Who else can I trust to watch over everyone, huh? We both know the second I turn my back Bruce will go power hungry and demand everyone wears matching green outfits."
He winked at Bruce, who snorted in reply, "Oh yeah, that's all I've ever wanted."
"I've been on to you since day one, Granny Apple."
Bruce answered with an eye roll and smirk.
Tony turned towards T'Challa again, "So, I promise that no harm will come to the fugitive you've been holding in your country."
T'Challa wasn't even slightly surprised that Stark knew that the fugitives were hiding out in his palace.
"I'll give you a tour of the lab and the BARF tech so you can see and understand it for yourself. You don't like it or you don't trust me and you can walk at any time. I will be clear and honest with you; I don't know that I can ever completely forget what happened with Barnes. I know it wasn't his fault, and I don't blame him, but I still lost my parents to his hands. If I blamed him for what happened I would have to blame Clint for the actions he committed under Loki's influence. That doesn't mean that I want to be his friend, but I won't attack him again."
Tony clapped his hands together suddenly, making everyone in the room jump. "Now, I am sorry for the worry and pain I caused you tonight. It's very important that no matter what anyone says about me or what you hear, you don't correct them. Let the names flow, they aren't anything I haven't been called before. Your highness, if you'll follow me to the lab, BARF is this way."
T'Challa followed Tony to the elevator, standing in silence for a moment while the doors closed. Leaning against the wall he crossed his arms and surveyed the man next to him.
"Quite a show you put on, Mr. Stark." He hoped that this tone came of as light.
When they reached the floor of the lab the stepped off the elevator and Tony led the way to the workshop door, where he punched in his security clearance, scanned his fingerprint, and opened the door with voice recognition. Clearly, he was protective of the space.
"Well, if you what you say sounds crazy, you gotta at least say it with some flair, huh?" Tony quipped as they entered the workshop.
They spent the next hour going over the BARF technology, how it worked, why it worked, what they hoped to achieve with it, and most importantly, why it would help James Buchanan Barnes.
"If you'd like to try it out for yourself you are welcome to have at it. Knock yourself out."
They ran a few tests and simulations together and soon enough they both sat down at one of the desks. "Next on the agenda, the Accords. I think your new roomies might have some pointers they could give you on changes we need to make, don't you?"
T'Challa smiled and eyed Tony warily. "How long have you known?"
Tony waved his hand dismissively, "Pfft. Where else would they go? No one else wants to take them in and risk a political mess. But Wakanda, you just are small enough not to be an international spectacle, while still holding significant power. It's where I'd try and go."
T'Challa laughed and replied, "If ever you should need it, my borders are open to you. I think you might get along very well with my sister. She is quite good with technology as well."
"Oh really?" Tony responded, rubbing his eyes "Good to know. In fact, I have a few projects that could benefit from a second set of eyes."
The King was actually surprised that Tony had been so open to accepting Shuri's abilities. The shock must have read on his face because Tony chuckled again and leaned over the desk to fake whisper, "I've seen that Cat-Suit of yours. I'd say Wakanda is hiding a lot more than just a tech-savvy princess." Leaning back, he continued in his normal voice, "If you want to, I'm happy to partner with her, assist her, be assisted by her, trade ideas, whatever. I've been bored lately anyways. Nat says I can't keep drinking and smoking, so I'll have to find something else to occupy my time until we can get Barnes here." He finished with a shrug, arms crossed over his chest.
"I will gladly open the lines of communication, thank you for your generosity, she will be thrilled to have another mind to converse with about these things. While we are on the subject, I have a message to pass on to you from another guest currently staying in my palace."
Immediately, the air in the room changed and Tony's body language shifted. T'Challa nearly felt the man's walls come back up. "I'm not sure I've had enough sleep or enough booze to hear any messages from them tonight."
"I assure you, it is short, and it was very important to Mr. Wilson that you hear it."
At the mention of Sam's name, Tony visibly relaxed a bit. "Dear Sammy, huh? Let me guess, something about not being the friend he asked me to be?"
"On the contrary," T'Challa replied smoothly, "He asked me to pass on his sincere apology and thoughts to you and Colonel Rhodes."
Tony's lips quirked up the slightest bit at the message. "Did he? Well. Since you are acting as a carrier pigeon, you can tell him that I appreciate it, as does Rhodey. And… tell him the same from me, huh?"
The King nodded his acceptance.
They sat in the lab for a while more going over details of the plan that T'Challa would propose to the UN Counsel after the reveal of the video. They needed to start work on Bucky if the man was going to ever recover. The one thing that Tony was adamant about was secrecy. T'Challa would not tell any of his house guests that Tony was involved in what has happening in any way, other than being ordered to help Barnes with his technology.
When Tony finally crawled into bed that night he felt like he would be able to sleep for the next few days.